Phoenix-area residents are now in the peak months for Valley fever infection, and new federal data confirm the threat is worse than ever. A landmark study published February 19, 2026 in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report confirmed that coccidioidomycosis — the fungal lung disease commonly known as Valley fever — has approximately doubled in incidence across Arizona between 2005 and 2022, with Maricopa County (Phoenix metro) remaining the single hardest-hit region in the country.
June through July is the highest-risk period for Valley fever infections in Arizona, according to the University of Arizona, making this week the beginning of what researchers and health officials consider the most dangerous stretch of the year for exposure.
