‘Fight The Bite’ Illinois with This Critical Information About Tick Season

We'll be climbing to some of the season's hottest temperatures this week, and as it starts to warm, health officials are warning residents to be on alert.

A Seasonal Threat Returns

May is National Lyme Disease Awareness Month, and "tick season" is officially underway in Illinois and Wisconsin.

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The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is encouraging families to learn all the tips and tricks on avoiding tick bites and other ways to protect against this tick-borne illness.

Understanding the Risks

Lyme Disease affects more than 500,000 people a year, according to the IDPH press release. Catching and removing any ticks within 24 hours is key to reducing the infection risk.

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne illness in the United States. We want Illinois residents to ‘Fight the Bite’—check for ticks after being outdoors, especially in wooded or grassy areas. -IDPH Director Sameer Vohra

Some of the early signs of Lyme disease include fever, fatigue, headache, and a circular rash, according to the IDPH.

Resources and Prevention Tools

IDPH has created some useful tools to spread awareness about safety during tick season, including Tick Defense Pocket Cards and a kid-friendly crossword puzzle, all of which can be found by clicking HERE.

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Besides Lyme Disease, ticks can spread many different serious illnesses, so it's crucial to know where Lyme-borne diseases have been discovered in the state.

A Tick Surveillance Map is now active from IDPH, and you can find that HERE.