Quebec’s Health Ministry says Lyme disease is on the rise in the province.
There have been 65 reported cases so far in 2017, while there were 43 in total last year.
The disease hasn’t been diagnosed in Montreal yet, as the cases were recorded in regions such as the Eastern Townships, Montéregie, Laurentians and Estrie.
However, it is possible for infected ticks to spread into green areas with tall grass.
Lyme disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted by an infected tick bite, which was originally discovered in ticks from Lyme, Connecticut.
The first recorded case in Canada was in 2009.
CJAD 800’s medical expert Dr. Mitch Shulman said the number of cases of Lyme disease will dramatically increase due to the warm winter temperatures and people participating in outdoor activities such as hiking.
He said the key to avoid getting bitten is to stay away from where the ticks are.
“They like wooded areas, branches, trees. So if you’re going to be hiking or walking through a wooded area, wear insect repellent,” said Shulman.
He said an insect repellent containing deet is the most effective to keep bugs or ticks away.
Some people might have contracted the disease without knowing it, because it is difficult to diagnose and can be confused with other health problems.
Dr. Shulman added the clearest way of knowing whether you’ve contracted Lyme disease is if you flick the tick off your body and store it in a jar to be brought to a medical laboratory to be tested.
“If you have the right type of story, I might put you on antibiotics anyway because this is a bacterial infection,” said Shulman.
A common sign of Lyme disease is a big bull’s eye-shaped rash on the skin. It can be treated with antibiotics if detected early.