Recent data from the CDC indicates that emergency room visits for tick bites have reached their highest levels in nearly a decade. Although this surge is most prominent in the northern United States, the effects are being felt significantly across Tennessee and the broader Southeast, where at least 16 hospitalizations have already been reported.

Health experts, including those from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, attribute this spike to a particularly dry winter and current environmental factors such as warming temperatures, increased animal movement, and taller grass.

To mitigate the risk during this peak season, experts advise the public to remain “tick aware” by wearing repellent, donning protective clothing, and avoiding contact with tall grass and dense vegetation.