How Suffolk County is fighting the rising tick population and ways to protect yourself
BAY SHORE, Long Island (WABC) -- Suffolk County officials are warning residents about the dangers of ticks and tick-borne illnesses as the county takes additional steps to address what leaders describe as a growing public health concern.
Officials say Suffolk County is the epicenter of tick-borne illnesses in all of New York state.
And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that Suffolk has the highest number of suspected cases of alpha-gal syndrome in the United States.
On Tuesday, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine announced new measures aimed at combating the tick problem.
Those efforts include increased field surveillance and expanded community outreach. The county also plans to spray natural tick repellent in parks if officials determine it is necessary.
While figures for tick-borne illnesses in Suffolk County this year are not yet available, officials said there are concerns that the tick population is up compared to years past.
Romaine discussed the impact of tick-borne diseases and said he has contracted Lyme disease from tick bites twice and had to seek medical treatment.
"These little creatures here, they're very small, but they can do major, major, major damage," Romaine said. "This is a serious thing, it debilitates a lot of people, hundreds and hundreds of people, each and every year here in Suffolk County."
Officials recommend several precautions to reduce the risk of tick bites, including wearing light-colored clothing, walking in the center of trails, checking for ticks after spending time outdoors and keeping pets away from tick-infested areas.
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