New York State Urges New Yorkers to Take Precautions Against Tick-Borne Illnesses

DOH, DEC and State Parks Encourage New Yorkers to Take Advantage of Governor Hochul’s “Get Offline, Get Outside” Campaign While Also Protecting Against Ticks

Simple Precautions Can Help Prevent Illnesses Caused by Infected Ticks, Including Lyme Disease

New Webpage Includes Information and Guidance on Alpha-gal Syndrome Caused by Some Tick Bites

ALBANY, N.Y. (April 30, 2026) – The New York State Department of Health, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation are reminding New Yorkers and visitors to take precautions against ticks and tick-borne illnesses like Lyme disease, as warm weather approaches.

“As the weather warms up and we get outside, it’s important to remember, ticks live here too, and to them, we are a food source. Tick bites can transmit Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, babesiosis and other diseases,”State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “Ticks can be found in many areas across New York and the best way to prevent tick-borne illness is to follow a few simple steps. Keep yourself, kids, pets, and loved ones safe by looking for ticks on your body and removing them, wearing appropriate clothing, and using insect repellant.”

Although ticks are still active in cooler temperatures, spring and approaching warmer temperatures increase the likelihood of exposure. Bites from an infected tick can transmit several diseases, including Lyme disease, the most commonly reported tick-borne disease in the State. Over the last three years, the State has averaged more than 17,500 new cases of Lyme disease each year, with nearly 19,000 cases reported in 2024 alone.

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Acting Commissioner Kathy Moser said, “New York’s State Parks and Historic Sites offer ideal settings to connect with nature, family, and community throughout the spring and summer months. Governor Hochul has been encouraging New Yorkers to get offline and get outside, and with the warmer weather it is important to remain vigilant and take simple precautions to reduce the risk of tick exposure and the diseases they may carry. Staying on designated trails, tucking pants into socks, and performing regular tick checks, including using a lint roller, can help visitors stay safe and make the most of New York’s 360,000 acres of State Park lands.”

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said,“Warmer weather means adventurers of all ages are getting offline and outside to enjoy New York’s abundant recreational opportunities. With that comes the need to ensure the public follows best practices to defend against ticks and the potential illnesses these pests carry.”

New York State Assemblyman Steve Otis (AD-91- Westchester), an advocate for Alpha Gal awareness, said, “Of special importance is DOH’s launch of a new Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS) webpage to alert the public of the growing health risk posed by this illness. Alpha-Gal Syndrome is an emerging tick-bite-associated allergy to meat that may cause a serious, sometimes fatal, reaction to mammal-based foods or products. AGS is present and growing in New York State. DOH has done a great job in presenting important information to New Yorkers and health care professionals about this tick-based illness on the rise in many parts of the country, including the Northeast. Thanks go to Governor Hochul and Commissioner McDonald for highlighting AGS awareness and prevention.”

Lyme disease is caused by bacteria transmitted by infected blacklegged (deer) ticks, including both nymphs and adults, which are most active when temperatures are above freezing. Lyme disease can affect people of any age and is spread when an infected tick bites a person and remains attached for 36 hours or more.

The most common symptom of Lyme disease is an expanding rash resembling a bull’s eye or solid patch, that appears near the site of a bite. Flu-like symptoms such as fever or chills and muscle aches, headache, or fatigue may also occur within 30 days of infection. If these symptoms develop, it’s important to seek treatment from a health care provider immediately.

Tick bites can also transmit other diseases. Since 2015, the Department has reported an average of 600 babesiosis infections and an average of 1,300 anaplasmosis infections each year, as well as cases of more rare diseases such as ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Powassan virus disease. All these diseases can vary in severity, but without treatment, they can cause serious illness and even death. Prompt tick removal is important as transmission of these diseases can occur more quickly than Lyme disease. Powassan virus is able to be transmitted within 15 minutes of a tick bite.

Recently, the Department issued a healthcare provider advisory and launched a new webpage on alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy associated with certain tick bites. The webpage includes information and resources for both the public and health care providers on the syndrome, how it is acquired, how it is managed, and best practices to protect against acquiring alpha-gal syndrome and other tick-borne diseases.

New Yorkers should take measures to protect themselves, their children, and their pets against all ticks and tick-borne diseases that are present in New York State.

While hiking, working, or spending time in wooded areas, follow these simple steps to help prevent tick bites:

• Wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts and closed-toed shoes.
• Keep long hair tied back, especially when gardening.
• Check for ticks often while outdoors and brush them away before they attach.
• Perform a full body check multiple times during the day, as well as at the end of the day, to ensure that no ticks are attached.
• Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for 10 minutes to kill ticks on dry clothing after you come indoors.
• Shower soon after coming indoors.
• Remember to check pets thoroughly for ticks after spending time outdoors and talk to your veterinarian about ways to reduce ticks on your pet.
• Consider using EPA-registered repellents labelled as effective against ticks containing DEET, picaridin, or IR3535, and follow label instructions. If you are using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.

If you find an attached tick, use fine-tipped tweezers to remove it right away. Avoid risky removal strategies such as detergent or burning, as these could increase your risk of infection. Dispose of the tick by flushing it down the toilet or submerging it in rubbing alcohol. See the Department of Health’s website for a video on proper tick removal technique. Monitor the site of the bite for the next 30 days for the appearance of a rash. If you develop a rash or flu-like symptoms, contact your health care provider immediately.

The Department and its partners routinely collect and analyze tens of thousands of ticks from parks and nature preserves across the state each year to better understand the tick population, tick behavior and regional trends in diseases carried by ticks. Commissioner McDonald recently joined Department of Health research scientists during a tick collecting exercise in Saratoga County.

Current and retrospective tick collection and testing results are publicly available on the Department’s Health Data NY website.

A map showing your risk of encountering an infected blacklegged tick by NY geographic region can be found at: Tick Score by Region.

For more information about Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases, visit health.ny.gov/ticks.