It’s tick season in northern Illinois.
So far this year, there have been no confirmed cases of Lyme disease in Winnebago County. There were eight cases in 2016 and another seven in 2015. No deaths were associated with those confirmed cases.
Todd Marshall, director of environmental health in Winnebago County, says there have been reports of increased tick activity in northern Illinois
“The reason for that is it was such a mild winter,” Marshall said. "A majority of time, winters help kill off every year; but since we had such a mild winter, the tick activity has increased."
He says deer ticks can lead to Lyme disease, while dog ticks and Lone Star ticks can cause Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Some symptoms may take up to a month to develop. He encourages people to cover their skin, wear a hat, and check for ticks if they are outdoors.
