Summertime is peak tick season, and it hits harder in some North Carolina communities than others. Public health agency AppHealthCare says people in Alleghany, Ashe and Watauga are at higher risk for tick-borne diseases than those in other North Carolina counties.
In a data analysis, Alleghany residents were about 25 times more likely to contract Lyme’s disease, and Watauga residents were ten times more likely to get spotted fever from ticks compared to the overall state risk. But there are ways to prevent those bites. AppHealthCare recommends using EPA-approved repellents, like those with DEET. Wear long-sleeved shirts and tuck pants into socks when hiking or doing yard work.
Ticks live in grassy, brushy, wooded areas, so avoid those places when you can. UNC Health Appalachian recommends contacting a healthcare provider if a tick has been attached to you for several hours, if you’re unable to completely remove a tick, you develop flu-like symptoms or rash, or if you think a tick bite is infected.