Ontario faces a surge in tick bites and Lyme disease, with blacklegged ticks spreading into urban areas earlier than usual.
Ontario is experiencing an unusual spike in tick bites and related illnesses, despite peak tick season just beginning. Reports indicate that cases are already higher than normal for this time of year.
The province is home to 13 established species of ticks, with several others occasionally reported. These insects are present year-round but are most active during the summer months when temperatures remain above 0°C. While not all ticks carry infectious agents, and not all tick bites result in illness, exposure to ticks can lead to serious health concerns, including Lyme disease.
So far this year, there have been at least 1,124 sightings of blacklegged ticks in Ontario, the species most likely to transmit diseases. Of these, over 600 were found on humans, according to eTick.ca, Canada’s primary platform for public tick reporting and monitoring.
Reports to eTick.ca have been steadily increasing since its launch in 2014. In 2019, the platform received just over 120 reports of blacklegged ticks in Ontario during the same timeframe. This year, however, there have been sightings as early as December and January in parts of southern and eastern Ontario, which is unusual.
Associate Professor Manisha Kulkarni from the University of Ottawa’s School of Epidemiology and Public Health noted in a media release that the expansion of blacklegged ticks in Canada has been ongoing, with more regions, including Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces, reaching endemic stages. Historically, blacklegged ticks in Ontario were confined to cooler areas near the Great Lakes. However, the latest risk maps show that these ticks are now found miles inland and increasingly in urban and residential areas.
“Unfortunately, these areas are often close to where people live or which are used for recreation, allowing more human tick exposures in residential settings and people’s own yards,” Kulkarni said.
This geographic expansion is largely attributed to climate change, which has led to warmer temperatures and subsequently extended tick habitats. The rising prevalence of ticks has caused a significant increase in tick-borne illnesses. In the past decade, cases of Lyme disease in Canada have surged by 1,000 percent, according to government statistics.
Lyme disease symptoms can develop in stages. Initially, it often manifests as a red bump or rash at the site of the tick bite. In advanced stages, sufferers may experience joint issues, nerve pain, dizziness, headaches, heart palpitations, memory problems, and other severe symptoms. In rare cases, Lyme disease can be fatal.
From 2018 to 2021, over 8,000 Canadians were diagnosed with Lyme disease. Provincial data indicates that there have been 60 reports of Lyme disease in Ontario this year, compared to an average of 43 by this time.
As the summer progresses, health officials are urging the public to take precautions against tick bites by wearing protective clothing, using insect repellent, and conducting thorough tick checks after spending time outdoors.