Overview
- CDC Bite Tracker data show emergency-room visits for tick bites were well above normal in April 2026, roughly double historical averages in some regions, signaling higher human exposure this spring.
- Pennsylvania has reported a steep rise in Lyme disease, from about 2,900 cases in 2021 to 18,747 last year, with 4,240 cases already logged so far this year according to state health officials.
- The MyWild 2026 forecast and entomologists warn that Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, and Maryland face likely tick surges as species expand beyond the Northeast and Upper Midwest.
- Health agencies are expanding surveillance for emerging conditions linked to ticks, including Pennsylvania’s new tracking of alpha-gal syndrome after roughly 600 voluntary reports in the past two years.
- Experts point to larger deer populations, suburban development that brings people closer to tick habitat, and more outdoor activity as drivers of increased encounters and advise simple prevention steps such as treating clothing with permethrin, using EPA-approved repellents, staying on trails, and doing regular tick checks.