Tick bites spike in Fall, per CDC findings
NATIONAL (NEWS10) -- Despite the season changing, the bugs will not be going anywhere. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tick bites tend to spike in the fall season, after typically seeing a dip from May through September.
According to the CDC, emergency department (ED) visits for tick bites by month spiked from September to October in 2021, with 16 in September to 44 in October. The same could be said from September 2020 to October 2020, seeing 14 visits in September, to 40 in October. Tick bites are also most common in the Northeast region, with 104 patients visiting ED facilities per 100,000 ED visits, compared to the Midwest in second, with only 36 per 100,000 visits. These reports are also findings of the CDC.
The CDC also offers helpful tips in how to remove a tick-
- Use clean, fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin’s surface as possible.
- Pull upward with steady, even pressure. Don’t twist or jerk the tick; this can cause the mouth-parts to break off and remain in the skin. If this happens, remove the mouth-parts with tweezers. If you cannot remove the mouth easily with tweezers, leave it alone and let the skin heal.
- After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
- Never crush a tick with your fingers. Dispose of a live tick by
- Putting it in alcohol,
- Placing it in a sealed bag/container,
- Wrapping it tightly in tape, or
- Flushing it down the toilet.
For more information on ticks and how to protect yourself from them, more information is available on the CDC website.