Summer seems to be returning, and that means ticks and mosquitoes are back as well.
Huron County Public Health Inspector, Kaitlyn Kelly, says we can expect to start finding ticks in most wooded or grassy areas, where people are likely to be hiking through the county. Kelly says if you're walking through long grass, there's a good chance ticks are there.
She says when you come back in you should do a tick check from head to toe, on yourself and on your kids and pets.
“Your hairline, in and around your ears, under your arms, sometimes they're inside your belly button, around your waist, in the back of the knees. So those are some of the main areas you should be checking, but you always wanna check every part of your body because early detection is the best way to prevent Lyme Disease.”
Kelly says if a tick is found it should be removed very carefully.
“Use fine-tipped tweezers. Grasp the tick as close as you can to the skin's surface, pull upwards with a steady, even pressure, because you don't wanna twist or jerk the tick because you just do not want the mouth parts to break off and remain in the skin, because that can cause problems as well.”
She says the area around the tick bite should be cleaned with soap and water or alcohol and tick should then be placed in a container and be brought into the health unit for identification.
Kelly also notes a tick has to be attached to a person and feeding for at least 24 to 36 hours before it starts transmitting the bacteria that caused Lyme Disease.
More information about ticks can be found on the huronhealthunit.ca web site.