Rhode Island health officials urge prevention to avoid tick bites

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — As the weather continues getting warmer, the Rhode Island Department of Health and Department of Environmental Management are urging people to take precautions to prevent tick bites when outdoors.

Officials said after a mild winter where more ticks survived than normal, they’re predicting 2023 could be a bad year for tick bites and the transmission of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.

The Interim Director of Health, Utpala Bandy said there are three things people should remember when it comes to preventing tick bites: repel, check and remove.

“Repel and reduce your exposure to ticks, check your body for ticks in the spots that they like to crawl and hide, and be sure to promptly and properly remove ticks if you find one on yourself, your family members, or your pets,” she said.

“Ticks are tiny and you may not be able to feel them or spot them right away. The sooner you find and remove them, the better your chances are at preventing the serious health issues caused by Lyme and other diseases ticks carry,” she concluded.

The RIDOH’s “Tick-Free Rhode Island” campaign is ongoing and further information on tick bite prevention can be found here.

AN interactive dashboard with data on several tick-borne diseases in Rhode Island is also available here.