Take precautions against ticks

It’s now Lyme disease season and Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health says over half the province’s population are close to affected areas.

Lyme is caused by tiny blacklegged ticks that lurk in wooded areas, brush or tall grass.

Dr. David Williams says the number of confirmed cases of Lyme disease last year spiked to almost one-thousand.

His message is simple.

“Be aware, be careful and check yourself before and after going to those areas,” he says.

The Health Unit locally says prevention tips include:
– Use bug spray or other insect repellants that contain DEET or Icaridin;
– Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, and tuck your shirt into your pants and your pants into your socks;
– Wear light-coloured clothing to spot ticks more easily;
– Search clothes and body for ticks at least once a day, paying special attention to areas such as the groin, navel, armpits, scalp, behind ears and knees;
– Don’t forget to tick check children in your care;
– Try to stay on cleared paths when possible, as ticks are more commonly found in wooded areas, or in tall grasses, bushes and shrubs; and
– Take a shower as soon as you can after being outdoors

“If you’re staying nearby or traveling this weekend, remember that it is possible to encounter an infected tick almost anywhere in the province”, says Brendan Hatton, Public Health Inspector. “Though the Lyme disease risk in the Health Unit district is relatively low, always take precautions when being outdoors.”

For more information on Lyme disease, visit the Health Unit website at www.myhealthunit.ca/lyme
or call 1-800-563-2808.