US Tick-Bite ER Visits Hit Highest April Level Since 2017 as Cases Rise in Most Regions
Updated
Updated · Salina Post · Jul 13
US Tick-Bite ER Visits Hit Highest April Level Since 2017 as Cases Rise in Most Regions
3 articles · Updated · Salina Post · Jul 13
Summary
CDC data show U.S. emergency-department visits for tick bites jumped in April to their highest monthly level since 2017 and stayed elevated through May and June.
March visits started rising earlier than usual in 2026, and weekly ER trips were up in every U.S. region except South Central as of June 28.
Warmer temperatures are helping ticks spread into areas once too cold for them, though researchers said rainfall, local conditions and time spent outdoors also shape yearly bite totals.
31 million Americans are bitten by ticks each year, and untreated bites can lead to nearly 20 diseases, including Lyme disease, which the CDC says leads to about 476,000 treatments annually.
Experts urged prevention over treatment: use permethrin on clothing and repellent on skin, wear long light-colored clothes, check pets and skin promptly, and remove attached ticks with tweezers within 24 hours.