British Columbians may want to cover up if traversing through the woods this summer to avoid tick bites and, potentially, Lyme disease.
Fraser Health is reminding the public to be aware of the presence of ticks that can be found in wooded or grassy areas, says a July 4 press release.
Although ticks may be rather easy to fall victim to, only 1 per cent of B.C. ticks actually carry Lyme disease, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. It is suggested that the best way to avoid Lyme disease is to avoid tick bites. Fraser Health says that between 2009 and 2024, there were 27,463 reported human cases of Lyme disease in Canada.
If you do find yourself around tick territory, you can wear closed-toed shoes and apply tick-specific insect repellent. If that's not enough, Fraser Health also recommends tucking long-sleeve shirts into your pants and tucking pants into your socks. Among those tips, more obvious still apply such as, applying bug spray, avoiding brush and checking your skin for ticks.
It's important to note that if outdoors, you walk on cleared paths that are preferably void of animals, as ticks are more prone to appear on those trails. When returning home, inspect yourself and your pets or children if you have them.
鈥淭he longer a tick stays on your body, the chance of an infection increases, so if you find a tick, it鈥檚 important to remove it as soon as possible,鈥� Fraser Health medical officer Dr. Emily Newhouse said.
To remove a tick from your body, Fraser Health suggests to 鈥淯se fine point tweezers to grab the head as close to the skin as possible and slowly pull up and out of your skin. Then, wash the affected area with soap and water or sanitizer."
