Kankakee Times

Illinois State House District 79 candidate Jackie Haas stated that due to the warmer winter, "Illinois may see more tick activity this year." She made this statement in a June 11 Facebook post.

"Illinois may see more tick activity this year due to a warmer winter season," said Haas, according to Facebook.

In her Facebook post, Rep. Haas shared a link to a Peoria Journal-Star article discussing the potential for an increased tick presence during the summer season. The article explains that there are at least 15 species of ticks in the state. However, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), only a few species are commonly encountered by Illinois residents. These include the American dog tick, or wood tick, which feeds on humans and dogs; the deer tick, or blacklegged tick, which can transmit Lyme disease and babesiosis to humans; and the lone star tick, which can transmit Rocky Mountain spotted fever to humans. The brown dog tick, or kennel tick, is also common but rarely bites humans and is typically found in dog kennels or homes with dogs.

Screenshot of State Rep. Jackie Haas' June 11 Facebook post | Rep. Jackie Haas' Facebook page

The IDPH advises that to prevent ticks from attaching, individuals should wear light-colored long sleeve shirts and long pants, use bug repellent containing 20% DEET or picaridin, and walk in the center of trails. To remove attached ticks, IDPH recommends grasping them with tweezers as close to the skin as possible and pulling upward with steady pressure without squeezing. After removal, attach the tick to a piece of tape and dispose of it in the trash before washing the bite area with soap and water.

According to IDPH, if bitten by a tick and symptoms such as a bulls-eye rash or fever occur, individuals should contact their doctor immediately and inform them about the tick bite for further medical advice.

Rep. Jackie Haas was elected to represent Illinois’ 79th House District in December 2020. She serves as CEO of the Helen Wheeler Center for Community Health and has previously worked as a social worker at Riverside Medical Center. Haas holds a Bachelor of Social Work from Valparaiso University and a Master of Social Work from the University of Illinois-Chicago.