Ontario’s Minister of Health Dr. Eric Hoskins and Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. David Williams are reminding Ontarians to protect themselves from tick bites this summer.
They issued the advice on Tuesday reminding people tick bites can cause Lyme disease which can lead to recurring arthritis, neurological problems, numbness, and paralysis.
Lyme disease is spread to humans through the bite of an infected black-legged tick.
Earlier this year Quinte area Medical Officer of Health Dr. Richard Schabas declared Prince Edward County “an endemic area” for Lyme disease.
The health unit monitored ticks, which cause Lyme disease, in the county for the past four years.
He says he “knows it’s an endemic area” because of the statistics.
Dr. Schabas says people should wear long pants and use a repellent when in wooded areas and see a doctor if bitten by a tick.
Public health officials will now concentrate their tick research on areas of Hastings County.
