The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that emergency room visits for tick bites have reached their highest rate since 2017 across most of the United States.

Rebecca Osborn, an epidemiologist for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services who tracks ticks and the viruses they carry, said, "It's definitely concerning to see new ticks in new areas and then diseases that follow." Osborn added, "So, warmer temperatures can bring ticks into new areas." She also stated, "Sadly, despite all of our education about tick bite prevention, we are seeing all tick-borne diseases increase." These diseases include Powassan virus, which attacks the central nervous system and can lead to memory loss, difficulty speaking, and seizures. The lone star tick can carry alpha-gal, which can create a red meat allergy in infected people.

In East Troy, Wisconsin, children attending Camp Edwards YMCA are learning how to look for ticks in addition to their summer activities. Maggie Windon, 17, is a camp counselor who helps manage hundreds of campers over the summer. Windon said, "I found one on ... the front part of my leg and then we always do tick checks in the showers at night and I found one on the very back of my leg." She added, "I've seen so many just crawling on kids shirts, just flicking them off."

According to the CDC, removing a tick within 24 hours can help to prevent Lyme disease, one of the most common tick-borne illnesses. The agency suggests using a tick removal device or a set of tweezers to remove a tick. After removal, the CDC suggests doing a careful check to ensure there are no additional ticks. The CDC also suggests seeing a doctor if a rash or fever develops after removing a tick.