The Tompkins County Health Department has
released the following advisory concerning the
numbers of Lyme Disease cases occurring
here. Their web site:
<http://www.tompkins-co.org/health>www.tompkins-co.org/health
has additional information, as does the
CCE-Tompkins site at: http://ccetompkins.org/garden/avoiding-lyme-disease .
Tompkins County Health Department
Frank Kruppa Public Health Director
LYME DISEASE ON THE INCREASE IN TOMPKINS COUNTY
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information contact: Karen Bishop at
274-6604 or Theresa Lyczko at 274-6714
June 30, 2011 (Ithaca, NY) The number of Lyme
Disease cases haas steadily increased in Tompkins
County since 2006 the Tompkins County Health
Department reports. Karen Bishop, Community
Health Nurse Supervisor noted that in 2006 there
were 2 cases; in 2010 there were 70 with a steady
increase in the interim. "In the past, Tompkins
County residents who had Lyme Disease usually
acquired it while traveling in other areas of the
state or country. Now most of the cases are
locally acquired," she said. In 2011 to date
there have been 14 cases of Lyme Disease and 28
are probable cases pending confirmation. "That is
a serious increase," Mrs. Bishop noted. "Lyme
Disease is here and everyone should take the
necessary precautions to prevent it."
Tick-borne diseases are a serious health threat.
Lyme disease may affect the skin, nervous system,
heart and joints. If not treated early, it can
have permanent and severe health effects.
"Lyme disease is caused by the bite of an
infected deer tick. In some areas, any contact
with plants or bushes, even in the backyard, has
the risk of contact with ticks," Mrs. Bishop said.
She urged all Tompkins County residents to remember:
* When in wooded and grassy areas, wear
light-colored clothing and tuck pants into socks and shirts into pants.
* After every two to three hours outdoors,
check for ticks on clothing or skin. Brush off
any ticks on clothing before they can attach to your skin.
* Do a thorough check of your body at the end
of the day. Pay close attention to the back of
the knees, behind the ears, scalp, arm pits and
back. Check your children and pets, too.
* If you remove an attached tick within 36
hours, the risk of infection is small. To remove
a tick: Use tweezers, grasping the tick near the
mouthparts, as close to the skin as possible.
Don't squeeze, crush or puncture the body of the
tick, which may contain infectious fluids. Pull
the tick in a steady, upward motion away from the
skin. After removing the tick, disinfect the bite
site with soap, rubbing alcohol or hydrogen
peroxide. Wash your hands carefully. Record the
date and location of the tick bite. If a rash
appears or you experience flu-like symptoms over
the next 30 days, contact your health care
provider immediately. As of July 1, the New York
State Health Department is no longer providing a tick identification service.
* If you consider using repellents be sure to
follow label directions. Do not allow children
to apply repellents themselves. Use only small
amounts of repellent on children.looks like and how to remove it.
To learn more about Lyme disease, call the
Tompkins County Health Department at 274-6604 or
visit the Department's website:
<http://www.tompkins-co.org/health>www.tompkins-co.org/health
You'll see what a tick looks like and how to remove it! _______________________________________________
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