Public Health Sudbury & Districts reports human case of Lyme disease
Public Health Sudbury & Districts is reporting that an adult from the Manitoulin district has tested positive for Lyme disease.
While the risk of getting the disease is low, the positive test acts as a reminder to take precautions when heading outside, the health unit said in a news release.
“People enjoying the outdoors need to check for ticks immediately after activities like gardening or hiking," Adam Ranger, an environmental support officer with Public Health, said in the release.
"This is one of the simplest ways you can protect yourself from Lyme disease.”
Blacklegged ticks infected with the bacteria that causes Lyme disease have been found in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts in past years, however, they are commonly found in rural areas along the north shores of Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, Lake Superior, and the St. Lawrence River, as well as in the Rainy River area of northwestern Ontario.
"Blacklegged ticks do not jump or fly," the release said. "They wait on grass and bushes for animals or humans to brush against the vegetation. Ticks vary in size and colour and can be hard to see until they are full of blood."
Avoiding a tick bite in the first place is best. To prevent tick bites, Public Health recommends:
- Avoid walking in tall grass.
- Make sure yards are kept clear of debris and overgrown vegetation, grass, bushes, and trees.
- Keep wood piles and bird feeders away from homes.
- Wear a long-sleeved, light-coloured shirt, pants, and closed-toe shoes.
- Use insect repellents that are approved by Health Canada and follow the application recommendations on the package.
- Do a tick check.
- Take a shower after outdoor activities to help wash off ticks that have not yet attached themselves to the skin.
If you find a tick attached to a human, use fine-tipped tweezers to grab the tick close to the skin and gently pull straight up. Then wash the area with soap and water.
"Put the tick in a dry container and bring it to your local public health unit to be sent for identification and testing for Lyme disease," the health unit said.
"Follow up with your health care provider to determine if you need treatment, especially if the tick has been attached for more than 24 hours. Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics."
If left untreated, Lyme disease can cause serious complications to the heart, joints, and nervous system.
Signs and symptoms of Lyme disease include a characteristic rash around the area of the bite that looks like a red bull’s eye. Fever, headache, muscle and joint pain is also common, as is fatigue, stiff neck and swollen glands.
For more information on Lyme disease and ticks, call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705-522-9200, ext. 464, toll-free 1-866-522-9200 or visit www.phsd.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.