Bay Area Tech Worker Dies from Valley Fever

Chiranjeevi Kolla, a 37-year-old Indian technology professional living in California's San Francisco Bay Area, died on May 5 in Walnut Creek after a monthlong battle with Valley fever, a fungal lung infection that overwhelmed his respiratory system.

Kolla, who worked in healthcare technology as a lead engineer and senior technical staff member, first developed flu-like symptoms including a persistent cough in early April. His condition deteriorated rapidly, prompting an emergency room visit where doctors initially suspected severe pneumonia. Further tests confirmed Valley fever, or coccidioidomycosis, caused by inhaling spores of the Coccidioides fungus found in dry soil across parts of California and the southwestern United States. The infection severely damaged his lungs, requiring intubation and nearly 30 days on a ventilator in the intensive care unit at Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek. He is survived by his wife, Pavani Marella, and their 5-year-old son, Vihan.

A GoFundMe fundraiser organized by Kolla's cousin, Rama Koteswara Rao, has raised over $180,000 toward a $300,000 goal to cover medical bills from the extended ICU stay, funeral arrangements in California and India,...