The Minnesota Department of Health warns that the winter we just endured, with its early start and deep snowfall, created ideal conditions for the proliferation of disease-carrying deer and wood ticks.
According to Doug Schultz with the Health Department, when we have a deep snow cover that comes early as it did this winter, it creates ideal conditions
“We are anticipating we will have high tick numbers this season,” said Schultz. “The ticks basically live in the layer of leaves on the forest floor. When you get snow that just insulates that layer so the deer ticks survive better in that kind of environment.”
As people get out to do yard work or other activities this weekend, it’s time to be on the lookout. Lyme Disease can be transmitted from a tick within about 48 hours and within a few weeks, you will begin to see symptoms. Even though it hardly feels like spring, the warning signs including a change to appetite or energy level, fever, chills, headache and joint pain shouldn’t be ignored.
The Health Department expects to have numbers for this seasons tick population early next week.
Agencies/Canadajournal
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