Lyme is the Most Common Disease in Westfield

Westfield, NJ -- Although it may not feel like Spring, the season is here. And with that comes the risk of ticks and Lyme disease.

Seventeen residents were diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2015, making it the most common reportable communicable disease in town, according to the Westfield Health Department.

The health department offers some simple precautions to follow:

1. Clear tall grasses and brush from your yard to make it less tick friendly.
2. Avoid wooded and bushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
3. Walk in the center of trails.
4. Use appropriate insect repellants.
5. After an outing, check your children and yourself for ticks and remove any ticks found.
6. Check your pets for ticks daily, especially after they are outside, and remove any ticks found.

Other appropriate precautions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/index.html.

(Photo Credit : Jim Gathany)