Tick bite ER visits hit highest seasonal level in years as doctors warn of disease surge

Tick bite-related emergency room visits in the U.S. reached their highest seasonal levels since 2017, with 71 cases per 100,000 ER visits in April 2026 compared to a historical average of 30. Doctors attribute the surge to expanding tick habitats, warmer climates, and rising Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses.