With the start of summer holidays for kindergarten and school students, families and friends are spending more time outdoors. At this time, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has advised the public to take precautions against tick bites.

Ticks usually bite humans and animals on the head or thin-skinned areas such as behind the ears, armpits, groin, knees, and around the navel, feeding on blood and transmitting infections.

In its recommendations, the ministry advised parents to dress their children in clothing that covers all parts of the body when going outdoors, hiking in the mountains, or handling wool and cashmere. It also urged people to check themselves and their children’s bodies for ticks every 2–3 hours as a habit.

Tick Bite Prevention Measures:

• Wear outdoor clothing made of smooth, glossy material in bright colors, fully covering the body, including the head, and wear high boots whenever possible.
• Avoid traveling to rural or forested areas during tick activity season, or if unavoidable, get vaccinated against tick-borne encephalitis.
• If bitten by a tick in a place where medical assistance is not available: disinfect the area with 76% alcohol 2–3 times, wait 1–2 minutes, then use tweezers to gently grasp the tick at the mouthparts and pull slowly at a 45-degree angle.
• Avoid drinking raw goat or cow milk, cook their meat thoroughly, and do not consume the blood of wild animals or goats.

Tick activity usually resumes with the onset of spring in April, with peak incidence in May–June. According to the National Center for Zoonotic Diseases (NCZD), tick activity sharply increases when cold, cloudy weather suddenly turns warm.

Source: IKON