INVISIBLE EPIDEMIC Now In Southern Utah And Nevada
Living here in Utah, I've always been aware of the beauty and the harshness of our desert landscapes. But I never imagined that beneath my feet, an invisible threat lurked.
Sickness that Plagued the Pioneers is Still Around
The "Invisible Epidemic" we're facing is Valley Fever, a fungal disease that's spread in desert areas like that found in Southern Utah. Turns out this fungus has been found and made people sick in other parts of the state.
Katharine Walter, PhD, a researcher at the University of Utah is rushing to understand this silent intruder. Valley Fever isn't contagious like the flu; instead, it sneaks into our lungs through dusty air, particularly on those hot, windy days.
Construction can stir up the soil as well and a wind can whip the spores into the air. It's a little scary to think that every breath could be a risk, especially for those of us who work outdoors or cherish our hiking trails.
Woman coughs in desert wind
Southern Utah is the Focus of the Study
According to healthcare.utah.edu the “The scientists are focusing their efforts on St. George, UT, the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the nation—and a hotspot for Valley fever.”
It's personal for me; I have a close friend that is a construction worker, he was one of the lucky ones that was finally diagnosed correctly with Valley Fever. He struggled for weeks with symptoms and was mistaken for having pneumonia
Read More: The Powerful Solar Maximum And It’s Effect On Utah Health
This epidemic demands a significant change in our public health policies and urban planning. We should look at how new developments can disturb this hazardous dust, particularly in our rapidly growing paradise of St. George.
Protecting our community, our families, and ourselves is crucial. It would be good to raise awareness, promote preventive measures, and ensure doctors are equipped to diagnose this disease early.
READ ON: See the States Where People Live the Longest
Stacker used data from the 2020 County Health Rankings to rank every state's average life expectancy from lowest to highest. The 2020 County Health Rankings values were calculated using mortality counts from the 2016-2018 National Center for Health Statistics. The U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey and America's Health Rankings Senior Report 2019 data were also used to provide demographics on the senior population of each state and the state's rank on senior health care, respectively.
Read on to learn the average life expectancy in each state.
Gallery Credit: Hannah Lang
More From Star 98
