Overview
- CDC surveillance shows about 71 out of every 100,000 emergency visits last week involved tick bites, more than double the typical rate of roughly 30 for this time of year.
- The Northeast is seeing the most tick-bite ER visits, followed by the Midwest, Southeast, West, and South Central regions, according to CDC data.
- Scientists link the jump to milder winters and earlier springs that bring ticks out sooner, and greater awareness and a recent CDC change to Lyme case criteria also push reported numbers higher.
- May is usually the annual peak for tick-bite visits, and health officials say it is unclear whether this early surge will continue into that peak.
- Public health guidance urges people to avoid tall grass and brush, use EPA-registered repellents with at least 20% DEET or 20% picaridin, treat clothing with 0.5% permethrin, do full-body tick checks, remove ticks with fine-tip tweezers, and seek care for rashes or fever.