Researchers Warn of Dangerous Fungal Illness Rapidly Spreading Across Country ‘Due to Climate Change’

Medical professionals are warning the public about a dangerous fungal infection that is rapidly spreading across the country, particularly in the states of California and Arizona.

There has been an increase in reported cases of rare Valley fever, and climate change may be to blame, according to doctors.

Valley fever (also called coccidioidomycosis or “cocci”) is a disease caused by a fungus that grows in the soil and dirt in some areas of California and the southwestern United States, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

“People and animals can get sick when they breathe in dust that contains the Valley fever fungus. This fungus usually infects the lungs and can cause respiratory symptoms including cough, fever, chest pain, and tiredness,” the agency added.

“This is a fungus,” said Perkins, a former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) official. “Most causes of pneumonia are caused by bacteria. This is a fungus that lives in the soil and is breathed in dusty situations, whether it’s a dust storm or around construction or excavation.”

A total of 20,003 cases of Valley fever were reported in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People from Arizona and California accounted for the vast majority of these cases. Valley fever is more common in those over the age of 60.

According to doctors, the symptoms of Valley fever are often similar to those of COVID-19.

“Some [people] may have a fever, chills or fatigue, or just feel generally unwell,” Thompson of UC Davis Health said.

Symptoms of Valley fever include:

Fatigue (tiredness)

Cough

Fever

Shortness of breath

Headache

Night sweats

Muscle aches or joint pain

Rash on upper body or legs

FOX reported:

Is a nationwide spread possible?

In 2019, a study by Morgan Gorris — which was published in GeoHealth, a journal focused on environmental and health sciences research — suggested that climate change could trigger an expansion of Valley fever into northwestern states, including Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota.

“At first, I was skeptical,” said Dr. Thompson of California. “But I’ve recently heard about new cases emerging in Nebraska and even Missouri, so I think it’s in the realm of possibility.”

Valley fever cases are expected to arrive in northern Utah and eastern Colorado by 2035, according to the study. Gorris, the study’s author, also predicts that the disease will become endemic in Nebraska, southeastern Montana, southern Idaho and South Dakota by 2065, and that it could arrive in northern Montana and North Dakota by 2095.

Purdie, for his part, believes that Valley fever could become more widespread amid changing climate patterns and population growth.

“Valley fever likes undisturbed soil — so as people continue to populate more arid, dry and less developed areas, there will likely be more interaction with it,” he said.

Doctors and patients await a vaccine

While there is not yet a vaccine for Valley fever, Dr. Thompson is optimistic about progress toward that goal. He pointed to three vaccines currently in development, including one that has been successfully tested with dogs.

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Coccidioidomycosis.aspx

https://twitter.com/backtolife_2023/status/1620464008896868352

California Snowpack At 40 Year Highs…And Rising: Officials

Snowpack levels in California continue to increase, after reaching their highest level in 40 years, after weeks of storms in December and January.

But, water officials reported that with a dry forecast ahead, more is needed to escape the state’s three-year drought.

The Sierra Nevada snowpack, which is measured at Phillips Station near South Lake Tahoe, was measured at 205 percent of the historical average for the year on Feb. 1, following three of the wettest weeks California has had in years, according to officials.

It additionally has risen 20 percent more than when it was measured last month.

“Our snowpack is off to an incredible start. And it’s exactly what California needs to really help break from our ongoing drought,” said Sean de Guzman, manager of snow surveys and water supply forecasting with the California Department of Water Resources.

He noted, however, that some of the state’s largest reservoirs are still lacking water.

“We’ve seen an impressive increase in reservoir storage statewide, but there are still some of these larger reservoirs that are actually still below average,” he said.

According to Guzman, since Dec. 1, there has been an increase of 9-million-acre feet in reservoir storage.

“However, for every day that it doesn’t rain or snow, we gradually return to drier conditions,” he said.

The recent measurement was also a 137 percent increase compared to an average taken last April, which is considered the peak of the annual snowpack.

https://www.zerohedge.com/weather/california-snowpack-40-year-highsand-rising-officials

Oh Good Grief. US Military Fears China May Reach Balloon Wreckage Before They Can Get There – Proper Salvage Vessel Won’t Be There For Days

How to destroy a superpower in two years or less.

** Open Borders

** Wild inflation

** Excessive spending

** Arming the Taliban

** Turning your backs on Afghan allies

** Bow to Chinese

** Create a domestic energy crisis,

** Keep the same clowns in charge of military who just surrendered to 10th century barbarians

** Promote nuclear war with Russia

You just can’t make this up! After allowing a China spy balloon to float across Alaska and the continental United States for the last 10 days, the US military finally shot the balloon down after its work was accomplished.

Now the US military is concerned they may not reach the balloon wreckage before China can. The balloon was shot down 6 miles off the coast of Carolina. They can’t be serious, except that they are.

The US military will not have a proper salvage vessel at the scene for several days.

These clowns are making a mockery of the United States.

The Daily Mail reported:

Concerns have grown that China may reach the wreckage of their downed spy balloon before the US Navy as a salvage vessel won’t be on the scene for days.

US officials confirmed that an F-22 Raptor fighter jet shot down the balloon with a single AIM-9X sidewinder missile at 2.38pm on Saturday, six miles off the coast of South Carolina.

A senior military advisor told Fox News that the debris field was about seven-miles wide, with the depth of the waters estimated at 47 feet.

While multiple Navy and Coast Guard vessels are in the area establishing a security and search perimeter, the senior advisor said an official salvage vessel won’t arrive until a couple of days.

There is currently no timeline on the recovery of the balloon from the Atlantic Ocean after its presence shocked the nation while it hovered over several nuclear silos before going down.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/02/oh-good-grief-us-military-fears-china-may-reach-balloon-wreckage-can-get-proper-salvage-vessel-wont-days/

AUS MSM ramping up the fear porn

World braces as China reacts to US shooting down alleged spy balloon

The world is bracing for what’s to come as Beijing reacts to the US shooting down a Chinese balloon it says was spying on them.

Beijing is “strongly dissatisfied” with Washington’s decision to shoot down what the Pentagon believes was a Chinese spy balloon attempting to monitor sensitive US military sites.

China’s foreign ministry, which claims the balloon accidentally entered US airspace, accused the US of “clearly overreacting and seriously violating international practice”.

“China expresses strong dissatisfaction and protests against the use of force by the United States to attack the unmanned civilian airship,” it said in a statement.

It added that it would “reserve the right to make further necessary responses”.

The suspected surveillance balloon had spent days flying over the US, including over areas home to sensitive air bases and strategic nuclear missiles in underground silos, before it was downed off the coast of South Carolina on Saturday afternoon (Sunday morning AEDT).

After initial hesitation, Beijing had admitted ownership of the “airship,” but said it was a weather balloon that had been blown off course, adding that it regretted the situation.

But on Saturday, US President Joe Biden issued six powerful words: “We’re gonna take care of it.”

US President Joe Biden speaks to reporters in Maryland after fighter pilots took down what the US believed was a Chinese surveillance balloon. Picture: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP

Just hours later Biden complimented aviators who “successfully took it down” but did not respond to a reporter’s question about how the situation might affect relations with China.

It is a question that will be on many people’s minds today.

Washington officials said Beijing’s claim it was a weather balloon “lacked any credibility” and it was actually part of a “fleet” of Chinese surveillance balloons that have also been spotted previously over Latin America, Europe and Asia.

“We are confident it was seeking to monitor sensitive military sites,” a senior defence official said.

Wall Street Journal reported, citing officials, an effort was underway to recover any surveillance equipment in the water that the balloon was carrying.

The debris fell into relatively shallow water just 47 feet (14 metres) deep and was spread out over at least 11km.

Now, the world awaits not only what may be recovered from the waters off South Carolina but also how China will respond.

https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/world-braces-as-china-reacts-to-us-shooting-down-alleged-spy-balloon/news-story/da79209405d1bfb2f5577529d3329fba