Emergency departments across the United States are reporting a sharp rise in patients seeking care for tick bites as warmer weather drives increased outdoor activity and expanding tick populations.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Tick Bite Tracker, April 2026 saw roughly 71 tick bite-related visits per 100,000 ER encounters — more than double the historical seasonal average of around 30.

This marks the highest springtime tick bite activity since 2017, raising public health concerns about an increased risk of tick-borne illnesses such as Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, and other infections.

Physicians say the surge is especially visible among children under 10 and adults in their 70s. Both demographics appear particularly vulnerable to tick exposure and complications.

Here's What They're Not Telling You About Your Retirement

“The geographic range of the blacklegged tick has expanded significantly, and with it, the risk of Lyme disease and other Ixodes-transmitted infections,” said Dr. Steven Goldberg, a family medicine and urgent care physician at UofLHealth in Louisville, Kentucky.

Goldberg described the Ohio River Valley as a prime example of this expansion, noting that Lyme disease cases in Ohio have risen nearly tenfold over the past decade as Northeastern and Midwestern tick populations merge.

Southern states including Virginia and West Virginia are also documenting more tick activity as previously lower-risk regions begin to mirror longtime endemic zones.

The lone star tick, traditionally found in the Southeast, is moving northward as well, Goldberg warned, bringing with it diseases such as ehrlichiosis and alpha-gal syndrome — the latter linked to allergic reactions to red meat.

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

Dr. Suraj Saggar, chief of infectious disease at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, New Jersey, said that warmer and wetter conditions are allowing ticks to survive in cooler climates. He noted that milder winters extend the lifespan of both ticks and their animal hosts, leading to faster reproduction.

As temperatures rise and precipitation patterns shift, areas once protected by long, snowy winters are now suitable for tick survival. Increased land development and reforestation are also pushing people and ticks into closer contact.

“The recovery and expansion of white-tailed deer populations — critical hosts for adult blacklegged ticks — has been a major driver,” Goldberg said. He added that deer density strongly correlates with Lyme disease rates, while small mammals like white-footed mice play an essential role in transmitting the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi.

Lyme disease remains the most prevalent tick-borne illness in the U.S., with approximately 476,000 Americans diagnosed and treated each year, according to the CDC.

Saggar noted that cases of Lyme disease have roughly doubled or tripled over the past two decades. He also warned about Powassan virus, transmitted rapidly by blacklegged ticks, which can cause severe encephalitis.

“Powassan virus disease is arguably the most concerning emerging tick-borne infection,” Goldberg said, adding that the virus can be fatal in 10% to 15% of cases, with many survivors left with neurological deficits.

In other regions, the Rocky Mountain wood tick can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Colorado tick fever, while in the Southeast, the lone star tick can spread tularemia, Heartland virus, and Bourbon virus.

Common symptoms of tick-borne illness include fever, fatigue, joint pain, chills, headaches, and muscle aches, along with the recognizable bullseye rash known as erythema migrans in Lyme disease.

“If you think you have been bitten by a tick, you should seek medical attention if you develop symptoms after a known tick bite or after spending time in tick-prone areas, especially during the spring, summer, and fall,” Saggar advised.

He added that testing for tick-borne diseases can sometimes yield false negatives early on, so doctors may start treatment based on symptoms and potential exposure before lab confirmation.

Currently, there are no vaccines available for any tick-borne diseases in the United States. Prevention remains the best line of defense.

Goldberg emphasized that disease transmission risk increases with the length of tick attachment, warning that Lyme disease typically requires at least 36 hours for transmission, while Powassan virus can spread in minutes.

Experts advise using repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus on exposed skin, wearing protective clothing, and treating outdoor gear with permethrin. Clothing should be tumble-dried on high heat to kill unseen ticks.

Removing ticks promptly and properly — using fine-tipped tweezers and steady pressure — remains a simple and highly effective preventive measure.