The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that at least 31 million people in the United States are bitten by a tick every year, and currently, visits to the emergency room for tick bites are the highest since 2017 for this time of year.
Lori Parker from Dignity Health told KSBY News that local Dignity Health facilities “have not observed an increase in tick bite cases or a rise in patient volume related to such incidents.”
However, the CDC's latest report has people locally wondering what’s going on.
“I do know that our front desk staff here at the public health department have been getting more calls than normal asking about ticks,” said Olivia Montiano, San Luis Obispo County Public Health official.
The CDC says that the most common disease that stems from tick bites is Lyme disease, with an estimated 476,000 patients treated for it yearly.
Montiano said that young ticks can be as small as a poppy seed, which is why it’s important to check for them after being outdoors.
“To shower within two hours of getting home, do a thorough full body check, and to dry your clothes on high heat, which should get rid of the ticks on your clothes,” Montiano said.
Avila Beach resident Lois Fox told KSBY News that she spends lots of time outdoors biking and going on hikes, and stays aware of what’s around her.
“The leaves that grow across the trail or come out to the trail, the ticks like to go at the very end of that so that they can grab onto a dog or a person, so whenever I see those on the trail, I look a little silly but I will step over that,” Fox said.
Clothing also matters.
“It looks a little dorky but I always took my pants inside my socks so that there’s no entry point for the ticks," Fox said.
“If you're bitten by a tick and you remove it safely and you feel fine and don’t have symptoms, you know, you’re probably okay. We really encourage presentation and just awareness and to not be overly worried,” Montiano said.
