The last two years on record have recorded a number of cases of Valley Fever hit rate not seen since 2012.

latest data report There were about 11,500 confirmed cases in both 2020 and 2021, compared with a record high of about 13,000 in 2012 and about 16,500 in 2011, according to a study released by the Arizona Department of Health. is shown.

The last year with cases near 2021 was in 2010, with about 11,900, although the per capita rate was higher then.

The data show 34 fewer Valley Fever cases and 109 fewer hospitalizations in 2021 than in the previous year, with the highest number of beds per capita in La Paz county.

People aged 75-84 had the highest rates of flu-like illness caused by breathing spores from soil bacteria.

Most reports occurred in late winter and early spring. So far this year, there have been approximately 1,500 confirmed and probable cases.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that Valley Fever is 6 to 14 times more frequent than is actually reported.