04/16/2026
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18WKka1sGM/
🦟 Ohio is in the middle of a Lyme disease explosion that should have every outdoor enthusiast paying close attention before they head into the woods this spring. The numbers are staggering: in 2010, Ohio reported just 40 cases of Lyme disease statewide. By 2020 that number had grown to 415. In 2025, it hit 2,819, a nearly 70-fold increase in 15 years. The Ohio Department of Health's director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff says warming temperatures, increased humidity, shorter winters, and the regrowth of Ohio's forests have all created ideal conditions for the blacklegged ticks that transmit the disease, while more human development pushing into natural areas and increased outdoor activity since the COVID pandemic has put more Ohioans in tick territory than ever before. Belmont and Jefferson counties along the Ohio River border are currently the hardest-hit areas in the state, with Tuscarawas County close behind.
Experts warn the trend is only going in one direction, and Ohioans need to take precautions seriously this season. Wearing long sleeves and light-colored pants, using EPA-registered tick repellent, staying on the center of trails, and doing thorough tick checks after spending time outdoors are all critical steps. If you find a tick, use fine-tipped tweezers to remove it close to the skin and clean the bite area immediately. Early Lyme disease symptoms include a bullseye-shaped rash, fever, chills, fatigue, and aching joints, and the disease is highly treatable when caught early. Ohio residents should also be aware of a lesser-known threat from lone star ticks, which are becoming more common in southern Ohio and can cause alpha-gal syndrome, a condition that triggers a potentially severe allergy to red meat.
