Summer means lots of time spent outdoors, but with adventures like camping, hiking and playing in the grass comes the risk of getting bit by a tick.
There’s been a recent spike in tick-borne illness in New Jersey, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. With the predominance of bites happening between spring and fall, already 3,077 cases of Lyme have been reported this year alone, plus 300 cases of other vector-borne illnesses caused by ticks.
Hunterdon County is having an especially rough season, issuing a warning about having one of the highest rates in the country; with parts of Warren and Sussex counties also high on the list. There have already been 1,200 ER visits due to tick bites, according to the CDC.
New Jersey has one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in the U.S., ranking in the top 20 percent of the country for reported cases (more than 21,000) between 2022 and 2024, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Garden State had the third-highest rate of Lyme in the country in 2022, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. Tick-borne illnesses have quadrupled in the past two decades, including Lyme, but also Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis, according to the CDC.
The most common ticks in our state are the deer tick, Lone Star tick and American dog tick. In order to avoid a tick bite, the CDC recommends using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, wearing white or light colored clothing, and doing tick checks of you, your family and your pets after spending time outdoors.
If you do notice a tick under the skin, remove it ASAP by using fine-tipped tweezers or your fingernail to pull it out, being very careful not to squeeze its body. Place it in a sealed container, wrap it in tape or put it in alcohol if you want to bring it to the doctor; or flush it down the toilet. Clean the area of the bite, and your hands, with soap and water, rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer. Check the rest of your body and clothing for any more ticks. Then, call your doctor or urgent care.
The Department of Health has myriad resources on its website, plus a Tick Bite Bot that has more tips and info.
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Read More:
5 Common Tick Myths Debunked
How to Avoid and Remove Ticks
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