Peak tick season arrives as Virginia illnesses surge

The big picture: Virginia Department of Health data shows reports of major tick- and mosquito-borne illnesses — like Lyme disease and West Nile virus, respectively — all trended above their five-year averages last year.

• In some cases, VDH recorded more than twice as many illnesses in 2025 as it did in 2024, per an Axios review.
• West Nile virus cases, for example, jumped from 9 to 30 statewide.

Zoom in: The state's highest concentrations of tick-borne illnesses last year were in Northern, Northwest and Southwest Virginia.

• Those three regions, which house a lot of the state's mountains and farmland, accounted for nearly all of Virginia's 1,702 Lyme disease cases in 2025.
• The Northern region also recorded over half of the state's West Nile virus cases.

The good news: Richmond-area case counts have remained comparatively low.

How it works: Ticks and mosquitoes spread disease by feeding on infected animals and then biting humans.

• And Lyme disease risk peaks in early summer, when tiny blacklegged tick nymphs are most active, per VDH.
• But the tick to watch is the lone star tick, which is linked to a red meat allergy that can develop after a bite.

Prevention tips from VDH:

• Use insect repellents containing DEET or picaridin.
• Wear long sleeves and pants when hiking.
• Shower and do tick checks after being outdoors.

What we're watching: Virginia's 2026 case counts are still preliminary, but updated statewide numbers are expected Friday.