Summertime Bugs

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee (WDEF)- With the temperatures rising, the Chattanooga Hamilton County Health Department is warning our community about the potential for insect-borne diseases.

People all around the southeast are enjoying the hot temperatures.

There are many safety precautions that we must be aware of during summer time.

From boating safety, to hydration summer is filled with good times, memories and sometimes problems.

The Director of Environmental Health for the Chattanooga Department of Health, Bonnie Deakins says, “It’s summertime now and it is hot and we want everybody to get out and enjoy the weather. But, we want to warn folks too that there are mosquitoes and ticks out there that can carry diseases and we want everybody to protect themselves from that.”

Mosquitoes and tick borne diseases are both serious and preventable.

According to the Health Department, While you are outside hiking, swimming or just enjoying the sun, it is important that you perform tick checks and use insect repellent.

Deakins also says, “Wear the repellent, wear long sleeve clothing if you can and with mosquito’s,it is really important to get rid of the standing water in your yard because they breed in that water.”

According to the Chattanooga health Department, Lyme disease is one of the well known tick borne illnesses.

But, The Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the most reported tick disease in Hamilton County.

Just because the name is Rocky Mountain, doesn’t mean that we cannot get it here in the south.

Always remember to check for ticks after a hike and wear insect repellent when necessary.