Lyme disease alert as Tewkesbury festival-goers are warned to check for symptoms

‘The incubation time is up to three months… if you think you may have it, get to your GP immediately’

A WARNING about Lyme disease has been issued to festival-goers after two people contracted the deadly illness from ticks.

Anyone who attended the Tewkesbury Medieval Festival in Gloucestershire in July is being urged to look for the symptoms of the condition.

In a warning shared widely on Facebook, people have been told: “Lyme disease is a nasty disease which can be debilitating and can cause serious symptoms (including meningitis) for years if it goes undiagnosed, but if caught at a fairly early stage is easy to cure with antibiotics.

“The first symptom (in two thirds of cases) is that you have a red “bullseye” halo up to six inches away from the bite site.

“Once that has gone the next symptoms are flu-like, general aches and pains and a stiff neck. The incubation time is up to three months, so it may not have shown up yet.

“If you think you may have it, get to your GP immediately for a blood test. Please forward this email to all who attended Tewkesbury this year.”

The Tewkesbury Medieval Festival took place on July 8 and 9.

Organisers say two members of a group who attended the festival have had confirmation that they were infected with the disease, which is a growing problem in the UK. At the turn of the century there were only around 250 reported cases each year, but now the NHS says the figure is closer to 3,000 – and some charities claim the actual number could be as high as 45,000. The rise is partly down to Britain’s soaring deer population.

One person on Facebook wrote: “Oh no, sounds like I have this.

“I had one horrendous bite at Tewkesbury, then an infected leg, and then was quite ill the week after with what I thought was flu.

“I’m now just under the weather and my body hurts. It’s off to the GP for me.” Another Facebook user added: “I was bitten most badly near the public entrance on the Friday evening and again on Saturday by the beer tent.

“The first aid treatment on site was superb and really helped. My ankles and feet swelled so much I couldn’t flex my ankles or feel my toes.”

“Nettle tea helped, but got much needed antibiotics when I got home on the Tuesday.

“Some bites are still healing now.”