The number of reported Valley Fever cases throughout the state are on the rise this year, the California Department of Public Health announced Tuesday.
There was an increase in the number of reported cases through Oct. 31, 2017 compared to the same time period in 2016, the CDPH said.
So far this year, 5,121 provisional cases have been reported in California. That's up by 1,294 cases from the same period last year with 3,827 cases.
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The number of Valley Fever cases varies each year and season, according to the CDPH. There can be more cases in the late summer and fall seasons.
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The CDPH said the number of provisional cases provides an early indication of potential risk of Valley Fever that season. In the end, the total number of reported cases will usually be lower than that.
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It is unknown why there has been an apparent increase in cases in California this year, according to the CDPH.
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