Emergency rooms across the Northeast and Midwest are seeing an increase in visits for tick bites and illnesses, according to new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. 

What's happening?

Since the beginning of the year, 618 emergency room visits per 100,000 across the Northeast and Midwest have been for tick bites, according to the CDC and Patch reporting.

Tick bites can occur any time of year, but are most common in spring and summer into early fall.

The recent increase is concerning when looking at monthly data: among Midwest states, there were 20 cases in March, 82 in April, 197 in May, 183 in June, and 132 in July up until the first week of the month.

Notably, there were 116 tick bite cases per 100,000 ER visits in June, a number not seen in June in the U.S. since 2019, with highest rates among children under 10 and adults over 70, according to the CDC's tracker.

Why are tick-related ER visits important?

Tick populations have reached record highs in several states this year due to increased temperatures caused by human activity, which has extended the tick season beyond its traditional timeframe, according to CBS.

"Evidence shows that people must stay vigilant year-round now that ticks are also active in the winter because of warming driven by climate change," Dr. Bente, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Texas, told the news outlet.

Human-induced warming has created conditions that facilitate the transmission of vector-borne illnesses associated with ticks. It has also enabled invasive plants to create more tick-friendly habitats.

As a result, we've also seen increased ER visits for asthma, mental health visits from wildfires, dengue fever, and illnesses linked to microplastics.

Diseases associated with ticks have similar symptoms, including fever and chills, headaches, fatigue, and muscle aches. Two of the most serious diseases are Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever, both of which can cause rashes. 

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What's being done about this?

If bitten by a tick, the CDC recommends removing it with tweezers, cleaning the area, and monitoring for fever, rashes, or flu-like symptoms for 30 days.

To protect yourself against tick bites, wear long sleeves and pants, avoid tall grasses and bushes, and be aware of common exposure areas and activities like walking pets, gardening, camping, or hunting.

The CDC and the Environmental Protection Agency recommend treating clothing and gear with products containing 0.5 percent permethrin before such activities.

The medical community is always working on ways to treat and prevent tick-borne illnesses, with the rise in ER visits highlighting the impact of human activity on our climate.

However, advancements in green energy, sustainable agriculture, and other developments are working to mitigate the damaging effects of our planet-warming activity and promote a safer, healthier future.

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