The LaSalle County Health Department says May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. The department is reminding residents what to do if they find ticks, which could be carrying the disease.
To prevent tick bites, the health department says wear light-clothing and wear bug spray with at least 20% DEET. They also says walk along the center of trails and avoid heavily wooded areas, high grass, and leaf litter.
If you find a tick, the department says don’t panic. Use fine tipped tweezers to grasp the tick and pull upward with steady even pressure. Don’t use products like nail polish, petroleum jelly, or a hot match to make the tick detach.
Last year the county had two cases, which is down from five in 2020 and eight in 2019.