Health crisis: What you need to know about Tick-Borne Lyme disease that is expanding across Canada
Blacklegged ticks
, known carriers of
Lyme disease
, are spreading into new regions across
Canada
, prompting fresh warnings from health officials.
What does the Health Agency of Canada say?
The
Public Health Agency of Canada
(PHAC) now lists more than 1,100 municipalities as high-risk for Lyme exposure. Hotspots include Vancouver Island, southern BC, most of Manitoba, southern Ontario (including the entire GTA), a corridor along the St. Lawrence River from Kingston to Montreal, and nearly all of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
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'Risk areas are growing,' says Dr. Virginie Millien, a McGill University biologist who has tracked the tick spread for over a decade. 'It's not going to stop anytime soon because it's really driven by climate warming.'
PHAC notes that ticks can hitch rides on birds and deer, showing up far from known habitats. 'Always take precautions in wooded or grassy areas,' the agency warns.
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What is Lyme disease?
Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, can cause fatigue, fever, a bullseye-shaped rash, and later, severe joint pain, memory issues, and even facial paralysis. In 2009, Canada tracked only a few hundred cases; last year saw over 5,000. 'It's exponential when a disease emerges,' Millien says. 'It's going to get bigger and bigger.'
Ticks survive better in milder winters, and hosts like mice are also expanding their range. 'Winter conditions determine whether the tick survives—and it's getting warmer,' Millien explains.
If bitten, University of Calgary professor George Chaconas advises careful removal with tweezers, gripping the tick by the head. 'If it's been less than 24 hours, the risk of Lyme is low,' he says. Use eTick.ca for ID.
Precautions and safety measures
To prevent bites: wear light-colored clothes, tuck pants into socks, use repellents, and check your body after outings.
Lyme's expansion is a warning sign of the climate's impact on health. 'It's not just the woods anymore,' Millien says. 'Urban parks are part of the story too.'
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