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.<\/p>\n
Officials say Suffolk County is the epicenter of tick-borne illnesses in all of New York state.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine announced new measures aimed at combating the tick problem.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
“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.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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