A 37-year-old Indian software professional, Chiranjeevi Kolla, has died in California after battling Valley fever for nearly a month.
Kolla first fell ill in early April with symptoms similar to the flu. As his condition worsened, he visited the emergency room, where doctors initially diagnosed him with severe pneumonia. Further medical tests later confirmed Valley fever, a fungal infection that affects the lungs.
According to a fundraiser started by his cousin, Rama Koteswara Rao, “Doctors first called it severe pneumonia. Then the tests came back: it was Valley Fever — a fungal infection caused by Coccidioides, picked up from the air in California’s soil. Most people who get it never know. In his case, it overwhelmed his lungs.”
Kolla was placed on a ventilator and remained hospitalized for a month before passing away earlier this month. He is survived by his wife and five-year-old son.
The fundraiser aims to support funeral arrangements in California and India, cover ICU and ventilator expenses, and provide financial support for his family for the next year. More than 2,700 contributors have already helped raise around 60% of the target amount.
