Now that many people are heading outdoors to enjoy the warm weather of the May long weekend, Alberta Health is advising everyone to be vigilant about ticks, tiny insects known to carry Lyme disease.

Ticks are small, spider-like insects that bite into the skin of their hosts to feed on blood.

While most ticks found in the province don’t have an ability to carry illnesses, health officials say it’s vital that ticks are removed properly, using tweezers, as soon as possible to avoid any possible infection or disease.

The province says that ticks that are found on people or in their surroundings can be submitted to an Environment Public Health Office, a First Nations health centre or a doctor.

Ticks found on pets or on farm animals should be taken to a veterinarian.

All submitted ticks are checked to see if they are a species capable of carrying the bacteria that causes Lyme disease and, if so, whether or not they test positive.

Sarah Hoffman, the Minister of Health, says in a release that the effort is to ensure safety for all Albertans as they enjoy the outdoors.

“Whether they are going fishing out of province or camping in our beautiful mountains, I encourage families to be aware of ticks, and to know how to safely remove and submit them.”

Health officials say that thanks to continued monitoring, they know that the risk of contracting Lyme disease from ticks in Alberta is very low.

“I encourage Albertans to keep submitting so we can continue to monitor the situation here,” said Dr. Kristin Klein, Deputy Medical Officer of Health.

Albertans can also employ a number of preventative measures to keep themselves safe from ticks:

  • Covering up as much as possible before going into wooded or grassy areas
  • Using bug spray with DEET, IR3535 or Icaridin
  • Checking themselves and their pets after periods spent outside
  • Being aware of Lyme disease risk when travelling outside the province to areas with established populations of ticks that can carry Lyme disease

According to recent reports, there has been a three-fold increase in the number of ticks submitted by Albertans between 2013 and 2016.

10 cases of Lyme disease were reported to Alberta Health in 2016.

Anyone concerned about a tick bite or who believes they may have contracted Lyme disease should visit their doctor and bring the tick with them if possible.

Full information about Lyme disease and tick surveillance in Alberta can be found on the government’s website.