SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The Illinois Department of Public Health is reminding residents to watch out for ticks.
The reminder comes after the IDPH said in a press release Monday that an Illinois resident was diagnosed with Powassan, a tick-borne illness that had not been detected in the state before.
IDPH shared that it is investigating whether the patient was exposed in or out of the state by a tick bite.
Powassan can cause serious health concerns like brain swelling, and there is no vaccine or specific treatment to combat it.
The department said that the risk of getting Powassan is low, as long as the public takes the proper steps against tick bites.
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