The Hastings Prince Edward Medical Officer of Health warns that summer diseases are on their way and people should be aware of that.
At a meeting of the Hastings Prince Edward Board of Health on Wednesday, Dr. Ian Gemmill said that over the last several years a couple of diseases have raised “their ugly heads. West Nile Virus being one of them.”
Dr. Gemmill tells Quinte News that people must be aware and protect themselves against mosquitoes which transfer the disease.
He says the incidents of Lyme disease have migrated north from the United States over the past few years, each year moving farther and farther into eastern Ontario.
“The most important thing is to prevent exposure to ticks, attachment of ticks, and if someone does happen to have a tick attachment to get the preventive antibiotics so that the individual does not have an established threat of Lyme disease.”
Dr. Gemmill adds, “Lyme Disease doesn’t kill people but it can certainly be debilitating. It can cause arthritis. It can cause neurological problems and heart problems as well.”
He notes, “It’s not a trivial disease, and I think prevention is the most important aspect in dealing with the disease.”
Dr. Gemmill advises people to use insect repellent in the summer to help prevent Lyme Disease.
