Midwest ER Tick Bite Visits Hit 332 per 100,000, Outpacing 2025
Updated
Updated · The Lawrence Times · Jun 10
Midwest ER Tick Bite Visits Hit 332 per 100,000, Outpacing 2025
1 articles · Updated · The Lawrence Times · Jun 10
Summary
332 tick bite-related ER visits per 100,000 visits were recorded in the Midwest through May, putting 2026 on pace to top last year’s 628 per 100,000, CDC data showed.
137 per 100,000 ER visits in April alone were tied to tick bites across most U.S. regions, signaling an unusually active spring season.
Kansas has also seen tick-borne illnesses trend higher since 2020, though recent annual totals of 111 to 156 remain about half the 311 cases reported in 2019.
Ehrlichiosis is now Kansas’ most common tick-borne illness, spread mainly by lone star and blacklegged ticks, while officials also warn of Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia and alpha-gal syndrome.
CDC and Kansas health officials urged repellents, permethrin-treated clothing, tick checks and prompt removal, saying prevention remains the best defense as outdoor exposure rises.