Incidents of Lyme disease are skyrocketing in one Ohio county, pushing officials to alert residents of the risks and how to handle them.
What's happening?
Tuscarawas County, roughly between Columbus and Pittsburgh, documented 74 cases of suspected Lyme disease in just May and June, according to the Times Reporter. That marked a 68% rise over the same period in 2023.
The Tuscarawas County Health Department began investigating 31 other potential infections in just the first 10 days of July. The newspaper last year reported a 25% year-over-year rise in April and May cases.
"For the second year in a row, we are continuing to see a steady increase in reported Lyme disease case rates in Tuscarawas County," Valerie Wallace, a communicable disease nurse at the health department, told the Times Reporter. "We also know that actual numbers of Lyme disease cases are likely higher due to underreporting, and we encourage county residents to take precautions to prevent Lyme disease and to seek treatment early if symptoms arise."
Why is this important?
Tick-borne illnesses are being reported more often around the country. This is because of rising global temperatures caused by our reliance on dirty energy sources such as gas and coal. The carbon dioxide and other pollutants emitted by burning such substances enter the atmosphere and multiply the greenhouse effect, trapping heat around the Earth and causing extreme weather events such as droughts and floods to intensify and happen more frequently.
With warmer temperatures, ticks, mosquitoes, and other animals can expand their ranges, which means they come in contact with more people who may not be aware or equipped to handle the related impacts.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection caused by the blacklegged tick. The longer an infected tick is on someone's body, the higher the chance that person has to contract the infection; the Times Reporter said it takes about 36-48 hours. Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a rash. Untreated disease can cause problems with the nervous system, heart, and joints.
The disease is most common in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic, and Northeast.
What's being done about Lyme disease?
You can protect yourself by wearing pants and long sleeves in high grass, the woods, and other outdoor situations. The arachnids are most active from April to September, but Lyme disease can be contracted all year.
Treat your clothing, camping gear, and other items with pesticides that include 0.5% permethrin to ward off ticks, which also can cause babesiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and more. Pets are more vulnerable than humans to Lyme disease, so check their fur as well as your own clothes and body, and take a shower soon after coming indoors. The critters can hide in your armpits, hair, and belly button as well as behind your knees, between your legs, and around your waist.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers detailed instructions about what to do if you find a tick and how to remove it.
"It is very important to see your health care provider immediately if you notice any … symptoms and receive the appropriate treatment," Wallace told the Times Reporter.
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