Alarming rise in tick cases! What precautions should be taken against ticks?

Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) cases have begun to emerge with the arrival of spring in Yozgat, one of the provinces where the disease is frequently seen.

Ticks, which are common in the Central Anatolia Region, particularly around Yozgat, Sivas, and Tokat, and which cause Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), pose a risk to those living in rural areas. Experts, noting that CCHF can have fatal consequences, have issued warnings to citizens working in agricultural fields, green spaces, and livestock areas, as well as those going on picnics, urging them to be cautious.

EXPERTS WARN: DO NOT TOUCH WITH BARE HANDS

Experts recommend that citizens in rural areas choose clothing that covers the body and tuck their pant legs into their socks, while advising those experiencing symptoms such as fever, fatigue, headache, body aches, or diarrhea to visit the nearest healthcare facility. Experts also pointed out that a tick attached to the body should be removed without touching it with bare hands.

255 PEOPLE HAD TICKS REMOVED IN THE LAST WEEK

Across the province of Yozgat, 255 people had ticks attach to their bodies in the last week, with the district of Saraykent being the area with the highest number of cases. A total of 255 people, including 60 in Saraykent, 30 in Sarıkaya, 27 in Kadışehri, and others in various districts, applied to healthcare facilities to have ticks removed from their bodies. It was learned that 3 people are currently undergoing treatment due to tick bites, with 2 at Yozgat Bozok University Research and Application Hospital and 1 at Yozgat City Hospital.

"BE CAUTIOUS AGAINST TICKS"

Yozgat City Hospital Infectious Diseases Specialist Dr. Dilek Yılmaz warned citizens against ticks and provided advice on the precautions they should take.

Yılmaz stated, "Citizens should wear light-colored and closed clothing when going to the mountains, forests, fields, or gardens. They should tuck their pant legs into their socks, and after returning from rural areas, they should remove their clothes completely and check their bodies. They should specifically check for ticks by examining their groin areas, behind the knees, behind the ears, the nape of the neck, and the scalp," and continued as follows;

"If a patient has had contact with a tick in a rural area, they should remove the tick safely themselves before heading to a health center. Of course, they should not do this with bare hands; they should use gloves, a cloth, or a plastic bag to grasp the tick as close to the head as possible and remove it. After a tick bite, they should observe themselves for 10 days. If one or more symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, headache, widespread body aches, loss of appetite, or fatigue occur, they should then apply to a hospital. Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever is a fatal disease, and for this reason, we advise our citizens to be very careful."

News Source: İHA