South East now ‘danger zone’ for ticks with Lyme disease

THE South East has been branded a ‘danger zone’ for ticks after it was declared one of the most infested areas in Europe.

The disease-carriers have bred in their billions in rural parts of Kent, Sussex and Essex following years of warm, wet weather.

The South East was included along with northern Italy, Romania, Switzerland and Norway on a map of danger zones produced by the University of East London showing areas where tick populations are now ‘very high’.

The researchers combed through years of cases where humans were bitten by ticks, which carry Lyme disease. Infections rose by a third between 2016 and 2017 with about 1,000 now affected each year, said Public Health England.

The eight-legged parasites thrive in areas with a low and gradual rise in spring temperatures and a big rise in spring vegetation. Their favoured habitat is on the edge of woodlands, from where they will jump on to a passing host and suck their blood.

However, London-based pest controller Mario Stanchev warned: ‘Don’t assume ticks only live in the forests or wild outdoor areas. They could just as easily be lurking in long grass in your garden, just waiting for you to walk past so they can hitch a ride. What’s vital is that you check for any sign of a bite.’

The most obvious sign of Lyme disease is a red ‘bullseye’ rash surrounding a tick bite. Squashing a tick can cause further infections, and so they should be removed carefully using tweezers before cleaning the bite with antiseptic.