Holmes County health reminder urges daily tick checks after outdoors time
Ohio Lyme cases jumped from 40 in 2010 to more than 2,800 in 2025, putting Holmes County yards, fields and woods squarely in the risk zone.
Ohio Lyme disease cases have climbed from 40 in 2010 to 415 in 2020 and to more than 2,800 in 2025, and the blacklegged tick continues to spread deeper into Ohio’s forest habitats. In Holmes County, where many people spend time in barns, fields, wooded properties and along rural edges, that makes a daily tick check part of the outdoor routine.
Tickborne diseases are being reported more frequently in Ohio than they were over the past decade. In its June 26 vector-borne disease surveillance update, the Ohio Department of Health urged residents to protect against tick bites, check for ticks and remove ticks as soon as possible. Ohio State University Extension recommends a thorough tick check after coming back from outdoors and showering as soon as possible.
A tick can be picked up during yardwork, farm chores, school sports, or time spent in tall grass and leaf litter, and the American dog tick, blacklegged tick and lone star tick are medically important species in Ohio. The brown dog tick can also become established indoors in homes with dogs and kennels.
Lyme disease in Ohio is transmitted by infected blacklegged ticks. The Ohio Department of Health’s county-level Lyme disease map uses case residence data and was updated with figures through May 6, 2026. Health officials list fever, rash, fatigue, joint pain and swollen lymph nodes among Lyme disease symptoms. Ohio advises residents to catch a tick early, remove it quickly and watch for signs that could signal an infection after a bite.
Holmes County residents who want local help can reach Holmes County OSU Extension at 111 E Jackson St, Millersburg, OH 44654, by calling 330-674-3015.
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