Emergency room visits for tick bites are unusually high across much of the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reaching levels that haven’t been seen in years.
Recent data from the CDC’s Tick Bite Tracker showed visits to emergency rooms for tick bites are “higher than normal in many parts of the country right now.”
“In all regions except the South Central United States, weekly rates of ER visits for tick bites are the highest for this time of year since 2017,” the CDC said in a release.
According to numbers for the Midwest, emergency room visits for tick bites skyrocketed in April, particularly within the last week.
Overall, the northeast is seeing the largest spike, but the Midwest is a close second, the data showed.
The Illinois Department of Public Health warned about tick season in a recent release, urging residents to “diligently check themselves, their pets and children for ticks after spending time in areas where ticks live.”
That includes wooded areas, tall grass and brush.
“Tick season is here and these tiny biters can make you seriously sick,” Alison Hinckley, epidemiologist and Lyme disease expert with CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, said in a statement. “The good news is you have options to help prevent tick bites when you spend time outdoors: You can wear EPA-registered insect repellent and permethrin-treated clothing, do tick checks, and remove attached ticks as quickly as possible. These simple steps can go a long way in protecting you and your family from diseases spread by ticks.”
Hinckley urged anyone who develops a rash or fever following a bite or being in an area with ticks to “seek medical care promptly.”
IDPH suggests the following tips for preventing tick bites:
- Learn about tick removal and symptom awareness.
- Walk in the center of trails. Avoid wooded, bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
- Wear light-colored clothing to make ticks easier to find. Tuck long pants into socks and boots.
- Apply an EPA-registered insect repellent containing 20% DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus according to label directions. The EPA has a search tool that can help you find the product that best suits your needs.
- Conduct full-body tick checks on family members (underarms, ears, belly button, behind knees, between legs, waist, hair and scalp) every two to three hours. Also check any gear or pets taken on outings.
- To kill ticks after being outdoors, put clothes in the dryer on high for 10 minutes (or one hour for damp clothes).
- Bathe or shower within two hours after coming indoors.
- If you find a blacklegged tick on you that may have been attached for more than three days, then seek medical attention to decide if you need an antibiotic to prevent Lyme disease.
- It is often helpful to keep the tick for species identification. Place the tick in rubbing alcohol or in a sealed bag/container to bring to your healthcare provider or local health department for submission to IDPH. A submission form can be found HERE.
