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Tick Bite ER Visits Hit Highest Seasonal Level in Years as Doctors Warn of Disease Surge
Berkshire Health Systems says urgent care visits for tick bites are rising as the Northeast records 188 emergency department cases in April, up from 131 last year.
- Berkshire Health Systems urgent care centers report an uptick in tick-related visits as warmer weather returns to the Berkshires, with officials confirming two cases of Alpha-gal syndrome in the region.
- Warmer winters and summers are allowing tick populations to expand northward, said Juliette Haas, director of the Egremont Board of Health, bringing tropical southern tick species to Massachusetts despite recent harsh winter conditions.
- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Tick Bite Tracker, April 2026 saw the highest rate of emergency room visits for tick bites on record, surpassing the previous record of 101 visits per 100,000 set in 2017.
- To prevent tick-borne illness, Robert Shearer, administrative director of urgent care for BHS, recommends placing clothing in a dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes after being outdoors. For ticks attached 24 hours or longer, he advises seeking urgent care.
- Lyme disease cases have increased roughly two- to threefold over the past 20 years, while the Powassan virus can cause severe encephalitis with a roughly 10% to 15% fatality rate, Dr. Steven Goldberg, MD, a family medicine physician at UofLHealth, told Fox News Digital.
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Total News Sources11
Leaning Left1Leaning Right2Center8Last UpdatedBias Distribution73% Center
Bias Distribution
- 73% of the sources are Center
73% Center
C 73%
R 18%
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