CDC data shows tick bite emergencies highest since 2019
Doctors urge prevention as summer tick activity spikes
LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) — New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is raising concerns about tick activity across the United States, with emergency room visits for tick bites spiking to the highest level in years.
According to the CDC’s Tick Bite Data Tracker, emergency departments nationwide have seen a sharp rise in tick-related visits this summer. For the month of July alone, the number of tick bite emergencies has reached the highest level since 2017, the earliest year data is available. The current trend line is closely matching 2019 levels, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experts say the uptick is especially concerning due to the risk of serious illnesses spread by ticks, including Lyme disease.
“There’s a number of things we can do to help prevent potential contraction of Lyme disease and prevent tick bites,” said Dr. Christopher Bazzoli with the Cleveland Clinic. “We start with clothing, making sure the clothing is tucked in, you know, good fitting socks, pants, long pants, long sleeve shirts, and then repellents are very effective,” said Dr. Bazzoli.
The CDC says Lyme disease continues to be a common tick-borne illnesses, though multiple other diseases can also be transmitted through tick bites. The CDC notes that people spending time in wooded or grassy areas should be especially cautious.
If bitten, it’s important to act quickly and cleanly.
“And then after we remove a tick, that’s now a break in the skin,” Dr. Bazzoli said. “And so just like any other break in the skin, we need to be careful to prevent a secondary bacterial infection. And so, washing that area with warm and soapy water is really important,” Dr. Bazzoli said.
The CDC advises using fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible and to pull upward with steady, even pressure, being careful not to twist or jerk, which can cause parts of the tick to remain in the skin.
