Maine confirms deadly case of rare tick-borne illness
ABC News
A Maine resident has died from a rare but potentially dangerous tick-borne illness, health officials said.
A Maine resident has died from a rare but potentially dangerous tick-borne illness, health officials said.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday it has confirmed a fatal case of Powassan virus, an illness spread by the bite of infected deer (aka black-legged) or woodchuck (aka groundhog) ticks.
The person, a resident of Waldo County in south-central Maine, developed neurologic symptoms and died in the hospital, according to the Maine CDC. The person likely became infected in Maine, health officials said. No further details on the case were provided.
"Ticks are active and looking for a host to bite right now," Nirav D. Shah, director of the Maine CDC, warned residents in a statement. "I urge Maine people and visitors to take steps that prevent tick bites."
