As the warm, sunny weather draws people to spend more time hiking, cycling, exploring, and enjoying the outdoors, Grey Bruce Public Health is issuing a reminder to take steps to prevent tick bites and, in turn, Lyme disease.

A sizable portion of Grey-Bruce is considered an Established Risk Area for blacklegged ticks – the tick species capable of transmitting bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can cause potentially serious diseases in people, including Lyme disease. However, blacklegged ticks can be found anywhere in Ontario.

“Because of the warming climate, ticks are now active for longer periods each year, including in the early spring and into the late fall, and their habitat has expanded,” says Public Health Manager Gillian Jordan.

“This is why it’s important for people to be tick aware whenever they spend time outdoors.”

The best way to protect against tick-borne illnesses, like Lyme disease, is to prevent tick bites. If a bite does occur, it’s important to locate the tick and remove it as quicky as possible.

“Public Health recommends people check themselves, their family members, and pets for ticks after spending time outdoors. Promptly removing any attached ticks is critical to preventing potential infection as ticks must be attached for at least 24 to 36 hours, in most cases, in order to pass onto humans the bacteria that causes Lyme disease,” Jordan says.

When spending time outdoors, people can prevent tick bites by:

• Using bug spray with DEET or Icaridin (always follow label directions);
• Wearing closed-toe shoes and covering exposed skin (tucking pants into socks and shirts into pants); and
• Walking on cleared paths or trails (this includes keeping children and pets from wandering off established paths).

People are also advised to:

• Wear light-coloured clothing while outdoors, so it’s easier to spot any ticks that may have climbed onto them;
• Use a sticky lint remover before getting back into their car to remove any ticks that may have crawled onto shoes or clothing;
• Perform full body checks for ticks upon returning home and take a shower/bath;
• Check pets for ticks;
• Put clothes in a dryer on high heat for at least 10 minutes to kill any ticks.

Blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks, can carry the bacterium B. burgdorferi, which, if transmitted to humans via a tick bite, can cause Lyme disease.

About 3,115 people contracted Lyme disease in Ontario in 2025, a 33% increase over the number of human cases reported in 2024. Nearly 200 people have been diagnosed with Lyme disease so far this year.

Early Lyme disease symptoms can include fever, headache, muscle/joint pain, fatigue, and a bull’s-eye rash. Residents should consult a doctor if experiencing these symptoms. If left untreated, Lyme disease can lead to recurring arthritis, neurological problems, numbness, or paralysis.

If caught early, Lyme disease can be treated effectively with antibiotics.

Ticks can also carry the parasite that causes babesiosis in humans as well as the viruses that cause anaplasmosis or Powassan Virus in people.

For tick identification, use the free online platform eTick. GBPH’s tick webpage contains additional information on preventing Lyme disease.