The unseasonably warm weather in Denmark these days brings out more than spring flowers, shades and café-goers. The high temperatures have also kickstarted the tick season.
Following the discovery of 25 ticks on a single cat, the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) has warned that little disease-carrying bloodsuckers are out early this year – very early, in fact.
“The summer is still high season for ticks, but sometimes you can be even more concerned this time of year because people don’t take the problem seriously,” Rene Bødkers, an epidemiologist with DTU, told TV2 News.
“Ticks are a greater risk because people don’t check for them, and as a result they are able to dig in for a longer time – and that’s when trouble arrives.”
READ MORE: Monster tick closing in on Denmark
Tick the boxes
Experts warn it’s a good idea for people to start checking themselves and their pets for ticks, which can spread dreaded illnesses such as Lyme disease – particularly following a trip to the forest or in areas with tall grass.
About every eighth tick in Denmark carries the illness and, of the thousands of Danes bitten every year, about 150 contract the disease.
If bitten, keep an eye on the bite mark to see if a red-ringed rash about the size of a five kroner coin breaks out. If it does, contact your doctor.
