Michigan encourages residents to protect themselves from ticks

Officials from the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Counties Health Department, along with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, are encouraging Michigan residents to protect themselves from ticks as the warm weather approaches and tick-borne diseases, particularly Lyme disease, are expanding across the state.

Lyme disease is transmitted by the blacklegged deer tick.

In 2017, there were more than 300 human cases of Lyme disease reported, and approximately two out of three cases reported exposure in Michigan.

The Three Rivers office of the St. Joseph County branch has kits available for use in submitting a tick for testing to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

People can protect themselves against Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases by following precautions such as avoiding tick-infested areas, applying repellent containing DEET, checking for ticks after being outdoors and bathing or showering as soon as possible after coming indoors.