Health Department says Accomack County leads state in Babesiosis cases

According to Virginia health officials, Accomack County reports the highest number of Babesiosis cases in the state. The disease, transmitted through tick bites, has been on the rise.

“Babesiosis is a tick-borne illness,” explained Jon Richardson. “It’s typically spread by black-legged ticks in the nymph stage. Some people may never show symptoms, while others can experience a wide range of effects.”

Richardson noted that over the past four years, there have been nine confirmed cases of Babesiosis on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, most of them in Accomack County. He added that tick-borne diseases across Virginia are also increasing.

To combat this, the Health Department offers tick prevention education and urges residents to take precautions in tick-prone areas like tall grass, woods, and brushy zones. Protective measures include wearing long pants tucked into socks, long sleeves, and light-colored clothing to spot ticks more easily. Repellents such as DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or picaridin can be used on skin, while permethrin can treat clothing.

“Most importantly,” Richardson emphasized, “you should always check yourself thoroughly after being in potential tick habitats and promptly remove any ticks you find.”

Richardson also pointed out how tiny the ticks can be. “They’re about the size of a poppy seed,” he said.

Whether it’s Lyme disease or Babesiosis, officials stress that both conditions are preventable and treatable.