Tickborne Illnesses on the Rise: Crater Health District Advises Public to use Precautions to Guard Against Ticks
For immediate release:
July 31, 2023
For additional information, contact:
Katrina Saphrey, Virginia Department of Health
katrina.saphrey@vdh.virginia.gov
The Virginia Department of Health Finds Tickborne Illnesses are on the Rise: Crater Health District Advises Public to Use Precautions to Guard Against Ticks
Prince George, VA - The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) indicates that tickborne illnesses are on the rise. The Crater Health District, which includes Prince George County, advises the public to use precautions this summer to guard against ticks. Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Tularemia are a few of the tickborne illnesses found in the state of Virginia.
The Crater Health District urges the public to take precautionary steps to prevent tick bites:
- Always use insect repellant when outdoors.
- Wear long pants and shoes with socks and tuck pan legs into socks or boots. Tuck in shirts and wear light-colored clothing so that ticks are visible.
- Conduct thorough tick checks and shower with soap after you have been outdoors. It is important to do this as soon as possible; the likelihood of transmission of tickborne diseases increases the longer the tick is attached to the skin.
Did you find a tick, and need to identify it? Check this helpful flyer from VDH that also includes information on how to remove a tick and the times when ticks are most active in Virginia.