OHIO — For the last few weeks, you’ve probably heard us talk about midges multiple times, and now you’ll hear more about mosquitoes and ticks.
“As the weather has warmed up in recent weeks, ticks and mosquitoes have become more active here in Ohio. These are not just pests, but some mosquitoes can carry a variety of diseases,” said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff.
On Thursday, Vanderhoff held a news conference, where he urged people to take the necessary steps to avoid getting bitten by a mosquito or tick, so you don’t get exposed to the West Nile Virus, which mosquitoes tend to carry.
Lyme disease is just as serious and can be transmitted to humans through a tick bite. Vanderhoff noted an increase in cases throughout the state.
"Lyme disease used to be uncommon in Ohio. In the early 1990s, ODH reported 1 or 2 dozen cases in an entire Now compare that to 2023, when we reported over 1300 cases or last year when that number rose to over 1700,” said Vanderhoff.
According to numbers revealed last month, there have been 154 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in Ohio so far this year.
Meanwhile, another tick-borne disease, with a few dozen cases in Ohio a year, is Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. It doesn’t affect nearly as many people, but it can become a serious illness.
“Providers need to start putting this on their radar for patients that come in with various constellations of symptoms, it's again, it's things in Ohio we did not have to consider before, now we have to start considering this diagnosis,” said Vanderhoff.
If you are planning to spend time outside, be sure to wear the right clothes. Wear insect repellent and try to avoid areas where ticks and mosquitoes are in while also checking yourself for ticks when you come inside.
