Deadly Tick Alert Near Illinois—1 in 10 Don’t Survive

There are multiple reasons why this should concern you if you live in or travel through Illinois. A deadly tick bite that takes the life of one out of every ten has cases that are surging right across the Illinois border.

Other than being a nuisance, what's the danger of a tick bite?

When you grow up in the Midwest like I did, you will eventually get bitten by a tick. I remember my dad getting out a box of matches and lighting one and placing it on the tick's back to get it to withdraw. Other than having a sore bite area, I have never had any serious illnesses caused by a tick. I am fortunate.

The Centers for Disease Control are warning that cases of a rare tick bite that often causes a serious illness is spiking right at the doorstep of Illinois. Ticks that carry the Powassan virus are on the rise next door to the Land of Lincoln. This is the map they just shared which shows the current cases of this disease in 2025. Both Minnesota and especially Wisconsin are now hot spots for this rare tick disease.

What are the symptoms of Powassan virus disease?

The CDC says "fever, headache, vomiting, and weakness" are early symptoms, but it's the more serious disease it can develop into that you need to watch out for. Those symptoms include "confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking, and seizures". That's a sign of inflammation of the brain or meningitis in the spinal cord. In those cases, 1 out of 10 do not survive.

The good news is there are no confirmed cases of Powassan virus right now in Illinois, but with the two states seeing the highest number of cases right next door to Illinois, it seems inevitable before this deadly tick bite affects someone here. It's likely only a matter of time.