by According to CDC data, the Northeast is experiencing one of the biggest spikes in tick bites in at least five years, reflecting a national increase that also includes an increase in tick-borne illness.
In the Northeast, which encompasses Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and New England, the federal agency reported 229 ED visits for tick bites per 100,000 visits last month. Only 167 were reported by the CDC in June of previous year.
Compared to May’s peak of 283 ED visits for tick bites per 100,000 visits, June’s 229 tick bites represent a minor decline. Only 209 were recorded by the CDC in May of previous year. In the Northeast, this year’s summer spikes are the biggest in at least five years.
Dr. Catherine Brown, a Massachusetts State Epidemiologist, told The Boston Globe that this year is unquestionably an anomaly for us.
As of July 6, 125 tick bites per 100,000 ED visits have been reported in the Northeast so far this year, according to CDC data. Compared to 2024, when there were 87 bites per 100,000 visits, that represents a 43 percent increase.
According to CDC data dating back to 2017, the Midwest region is the only one that comes close to the Northeast’s tick bite concentration of 83 per 100,000 ED visits. The Northeast has routinely had the greatest number of tick bites nationwide since 2017.
The state Department of Public Health says tick activity depends on the weather. The two annual peaks, however, take place in October and November and March or April through August.
According to DPH’s May 2025 report, the majority of tick exposure in Massachusetts occurred in the Berkshires, on Martha’s Vineyard, and on Nantucket.
Tick-borne diseases on the rise, including one linked to red meat allergy
According to DPH, the majority of tick-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease and babesiosis, are contracted between June and August. According to state data, ticks were responsible for less than.7 percent of ED visits in May, while tick-borne diseases were responsible for less than.2 percent of ED visits. Both numbers are higher than they were three years ago.
According to the University of Rhode Island, the most common tick in New England is the blacklegged tick, sometimes known as the deer tick. They can spread Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, and the deer tick virus.
Thomas Mather, the director of URI’s Center for Vector-Borne Diseases, told CBS News that deer ticks are killed by hot, dry days, but many survived into May following a more rainy spring.
The number has increased because of favorable conditions for tick and black-legged tick survival in May and June, Mather told the television channel.
In a separate interview, Mather told the Globe that the higher incidence of tick-borne diseases are also caused by an increase in deer tick nymphs, which can be as large as a poppy seed. According to him, almost 20% of them have Lyme disease.
New England is also home to American dog ticks and lone star ticks, which can trigger an allergy to red meat. According to a 2022 New York Times article, the lone star tick, which is typically located in the South, has recently moved north, partly as a result of global warming.
Martha’s Vineyard and Narragansett Bay are fully overrun with ticks, and Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts are located directly on the edge of this tick’s northward invasion, Mather told the Globe.
The CDC advises applying a.5 percent permethrin insecticide on clothing and equipment to prevent tick bites. After being outside, especially in woods or long grass, look for ticks on your body and clothing. It has also been demonstrated that taking a shower within two hours of being outside lowers the risk of getting Lyme disease.
The CDC advises removing any ticks that have bitten you as quickly as possible. Grab the tick as near to the skin as you can using tweezers. The tick can be disposed of by flushing it down the toilet, immersing it in alcohol, or placing it in a sealed container. Make sure the bite is completely clean. See a doctor if you get a fever or rash.
Molly Farrar works for Boston.com as a general assignment reporter, covering topics such as politics, crime, and education.
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