Tick bite ER visits reach highest rate in nearly a decade
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Tick bites are sending a record rate of people to the ER for this time of year, according to new CDC data.
Why it matters: "Tick season is here and these tiny biters can make you seriously sick," says Alison Hinckley, epidemiologist with the CDC, in a statement.
- An estimated 31 million Americans are bitten by a tick each year, and roughly 476,000 are treated for Lyme disease alone, per the CDC.
By the numbers: April saw 104 ER visits for tick bites per 100,000 total ER visits — up from 68 in April 2025, according to preliminary data from the CDC's Tick Bite Tracker.
- In all regions except for the south-central region of the U.S. — where blacklegged ticks are less common — weekly rates of ER visits for tick bites are the highest for this time of year since 2017, the CDC reports.
Between the lines: Lyme is the most common tick-borne illness in the U.S., but ticks also spread other serious diseases, including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis and alpha-gal syndrome.
Zoom in: Goudarz Molaei, who directs the Tick and Tick-Borne Disease Surveillance Program at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, has seen a local increase in bites.
- His lab received 1,131 human-biting tick submissions in April this year — up from 821 in 2025, he tells Axios.
Yes, but: Molaei is cautious about reading too much into one early-season spike.
- He suspects blacklegged ticks had a late start this year — which can happen after a cold winter — and says he's "not sure these unusually high numbers will continue."
Zoom out: Climate change is helping ticks multiply and spread into new areas, with warmer, more humid springs and summers fueling bigger populations, Molaei says.
- But a cold winter doesn't necessarily wipe the pests out. Molaei says certain ticks adapt to shelter under snow, hide in leaf litter and even produce antifreeze-like substances to survive freezing temperatures.
To prevent tick bites, the CDC recommends:
- Wearing EPA-registered insect repellent and permethrin-treated clothing outdoors.
- Doing a tick check after being outside — ticks like leaf litter, tall grass, and wooded areas.
- Removing attached ticks ideally within 24 hours, and watching for a rash or fever in the days or weeks after a bite. See a doctor promptly if either appears.
