SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - A tickborne illness called Heartland Virus has been confirmed in Illinois.
A Kankakee resident tested positive for the virus, the first reported case in the state.
The Heartland Virus is relatively rare. It is likely spread by the Lone Star tick.
Most who contract Heartland Virus have to be hospitalized. Most of those people do recover. However, a few deaths have been attributed to the virus.
Symptoms include fever, headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, and diarrhea.
Most people become sick about two weeks after being bit by a tick.
There is no treatment, but doctors can treat some of the symptoms.
Other tickborne illnesses Illinois residents have been diagnosed with include Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Ehrilichiosis, and tularemia.
Ticks are commonly found on the tips of grasses and shrubs.
Tips for avoiding tick bites include:
• Wearing light-colored, protective clothing—long-sleeved shirts, pants, boots or sturdy shoes, and a head covering.
• Apply insect repellent that contains 20 percent or more DEET, picaridin, or IR3535 on exposed skin for protection that lasts several hours.
• Walk in the center of trails so grass, shrubs, and weeds do not brush against you.
• Check yourself, children, other family members, and pets for ticks every two to three hours.
• Remove any tick promptly by grasping it with tweezers, as close to the skin as possible and gently, but firmly, pulling it straight out. Wash your hands and the tick bite site with soap and water.
