Lyme Disease In Huron County
Shaun Gregory, Postmedia Network
A relative of the spider and scorpion, the Lyme disease-carrying tick has made its way to Huron County.
There has been one confirmed case of Lyme disease, involving a pet, according to the Seaforth Animal Hospital.
The Huron County Health Unit (HCHU) said it conducted a few tests for Lyme disease that have come with a positive result.
Ticks are more common in rural areas such as the north shores of Lake Ontario as well as the St. Lawrence River, according to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
The areas that the black-legged tick population infected with Lyme disease are located more often than not are: Long Point Provincial Park, Turkey Point Provincial Park, Rondeau Provincial Park, Pinery Provincial Park, Rouge Valley, Point Pelee National Park, Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, Wainfleet Bog Conservation Area and the Thousand Islands National Park area.
Keshia Hackett, public health inspector for HCHU said there are numerous tactics locals can follow while being outdoors in the warmer months of the year,
· Wear light coloured clothing
· Long sleeve shirt and pants
· Closed-toed foot wear and socks
· And lastly, wear tick repellant that’s been approved by Health Canada.
“Huron County does have blacklegged ticks that’s why these preventions are so important,” Hackett said about the specific kind of tick that can transmit the disease.
“It takes 24 hours before the tick starts transmitting this disease into a human after it bites.”
Hackett ended with saying that if a tick is infected and they do manage to bite a person, if it’s removed “quickly,” the percentage of transmitting Lyme disease is quite low.
Source: The Goderich Signal Star
