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  • Lyme disease on the rise in Quebec: Laval now an endemic area

    Lyme-carrying ticks is speading in Quebec. Since 2022, the city of Laval has been considered a significant risk area (endemic zone) for Lyme disease.

    If you develop redness after being exposed to ticks in one of these areas, call Info-Santé 811 or consult your pharmacist. 

    Transmission

    Lyme disease is caused by a bacteria. In Quebec, it spreads to humans mainly through bites from blacklegged ticks.

    Measuring 1 to 3 millimetres (the size of a poppy seed) before feeding and often hard to see in the nymph stage, ticks are mostly found in:

    • Woodlands and forests     
    • Tall grasses                                                       
    • Shrubs, brush and unmaintained properties 
    • Garden and landscaping features
    • Piles of dead leaves                                                           
    Outdoor staff who in tick-friendly environments (e.g. farm workers, landscapers, camp counsellors, etc.) are at greater risk of being infected.
    /typo3conf/l10n/fr/rtehtmlarea/Resources/Private/Language/fr.locallang_accessibilityicons.xlf:external_link_new_window_altText Get more information

    Ticks don't jump: they actually crawl and cling onto people or animals that move near them. Infected ticks can spread the disease if they aren’t removed quickly. 

    Easy ways to protect yourself

    You of course want to make the most of the great summer weather!

    However, when enjoying any outdoor activity that poses a risk of tick bites, you can protect yourself by:

    • Wearing long, light-coloured clothing over your entire body (this makes it easier to spot ticks that may be clinging to you).
    • Wearing closed-toe shoes during high-risk activities and pulling your socks up over your pant legs.
    • Applying a mosquito repellent containing DEET or icaridin (for more information, consult the /typo3conf/l10n/fr/rtehtmlarea/Resources/Private/Language/fr.locallang_accessibilityicons.xlf:external_link_new_window_altTextHealth Advice and Prevention section of the Government of Quebec website).
    • Staying on open paths in woods and forests and being careful not to brush up against the vegetation.
    • Checking for ticks when you get home while taking a shower. 

    Check your body for ticks after any outdoor activity 

    Click to enlarge image 

    If you’ve been bitten by a tick

    Learn more- Government of Quebec website