Lyme disease map includes areas in Grey-Bruce

Two more parts of Grey-Bruce are now considered estimated risk areas for Lyme disease due to the discovery of blacklegged ticks, which can carry the bacteria that causes the relatively rare vector-borne illness.
As a result of GBPH’s tick surveillance in 2022, two new estimated risk areas have been identified in Grey-Bruce, bringing the total number in the two counties to three.
The areas, which overlap and are each in the western part of Grey-Bruce near the Lake Huron shoreline, include parts of Kincardine, Northern Bruce Peninsula, South Bruce Peninsula, Georgian Bluffs, Saugeen Shores and Arran-Elderslie.
“While the risk of getting Lyme disease remains low, we’re asking residents to take simple measures to protect themselves from tick bites while enjoying the outdoors. It is important to be aware of the areas where blacklegged ticks are known to live or in potential tick habitat, such as wooded areas, shrubs, tall grass, or leaf piles,” said GBPH Senior Program Manager Andrew Barton.
If bitten by a tick, remove it immediately. In most cases, infected ticks must be attached to a person for at least 24 hours to pass on the bacteria. Information on how to remove and identify a tick can be found on Health Canada’s Lyme Disease webpage.