Northeast Reports Highest Tick-Bite ER Visits in Nearly a Decade
New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention point to a growing concern for residents in the U.S. Northeast. Emergency room visits for tick bites have been rising. According…
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New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention point to a growing concern for residents in the U.S. Northeast. Emergency room visits for tick bites have been rising.
According to a report from the Patch of Massachusetts, the Northeast is seeing its highest tick-bite emergency department visit rate in nearly a decade. Approximately 163 tick-bite ER visits per 100,000 people have been recorded according to the most recent data — the strongest April level in the CDC Tick Bite Data Tracker's nine-year record.
Nationally, the rate has reached 85 per 100,000 — the highest April reading in the CDC's dataset, which goes back nine years, according to MassLive.
The Lone Star tick, a vector for Alpha-gal syndrome (a tick-related allergy to red meat), is expanding its range into the Northeast and other regions, including established populations on Cape Cod and the Islands in Massachusetts.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health notes that tick activity in Massachusetts typically peaks twice a year — first from March or April through August, then again in October and November. However, the bulk of tick-borne disease cases takes place from June through August.
Residents of Dukes and Nantucket counties, in particular, are visiting emergency rooms for tick bites at a rate of 12.8 per 10,000 people, according to MassLive.
"We're running well above historic average and even well above last year," Dr. John J. Halperin, chair of the New Jersey Stroke Care Advisory Panel and member of the department of neuroscience at Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center in New Jersey, reported to ABC News. "As people become more aware of this, more are going to the emergency room, but there seems to be a clear increase in the number of ticks out there."
The CDC suggests the following actions to prevent tick bites:
- Avoid tall grass and brush.
- Apply EPA-registered repellents.
- Treat clothing with permethrin.
- Wear protective clothing when outdoors.
- Perform full-body tick checks.
- Shower after engaging in outdoor activity.
- Inspect pets and gear for ticks.
The CDC also recommends using EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, or other approved active ingredients. Experts suggest treating clothing and gear with 0.5% permethrin, walking in the center of trails in the woods, and performing a full-body tick check after spending any length of time outdoors.
Get more information on tick bite prevention and removal at mass.gov/dph/tick.
