Patch: Tick Season Is Peaking in MA: What to Know About Tick-Borne Illnesses

"Tick Season Is Peaking in MA: What to Know About Tick-Borne Illnesses" — Patch, August 2026

A Massachusetts public health roundup on the state of tick activity and tick-borne illness as summer peaks. New DPH data shows steady increases in tick-related emergency department visits statewide, with Dukes and Nantucket counties — which includes Martha's Vineyard — reporting the highest rates. Children ages five to fourteen had the highest rate of tick-borne disease diagnoses among all age groups. The piece also covers Massachusetts' new requirement, effective April 1, that healthcare providers report alpha-gal syndrome cases to the DPH — part of a growing national effort to better track and understand the lone star tick-borne allergy — alongside standard guidance on prevention and tick removal.

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