Cases of Lyme disease rebound in Quebec after 2020 slowdown
Lyme disease in Quebec was back on the rise in 2021, following a brief slowdown in 2020.
According to data released earlier this week by Quebec's public health institute (INSPQ), 709 cases of Lyme disease were reported to provincial health authorities as of April 6, 2022. Of those infections, 650 were likely acquired in Quebec, while the rest occurred elsewhere.
The rate of the disease in 2021 was 1.7 times higher than in 2019, the year with the second-highest recorded rate.
Of the 650 cases of Lyme disease acquired in Quebec, Estrie was again the most affected region. With 452 cases, it accounts for nearly 70 per cent of all infections in Quebec.
Authorities reported 124 cases in Montérégie.
The other regions, including Montreal, reported fewer than 20 cases.
The age group most affected by Lyme disease in Quebec in 2021 was 60-69, followed by 50-59, 40-49 and 70-79.
Lyme is transmitted through the bite of a tick carrying the disease.
The tell-tale symptom in humans is a reddening of the skin. Many with the disease experience fatigue, fever, aches and pains -- and if the disease isn't detected and treated quickly, the bacteria can disperse into the bloodstream, leading to much more uncomfortable symptoms.
According to the Quebec government, milder winters could partly explain the disease's progression. The warmer climate allows ticks to survive and reproduce more easily.
Lyme disease has been a notifiable disease in Quebec since 2003, meaning doctors and laboratory technicians who detect a case must inform public health authorities.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 9, 2023.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air traveller complaints to Canadian Transportation Agency hit new high
The Canadian Transportation Agency has hit a record high of more than 71,000 complaints in a backlog. The quasi-judicial regulator and tribunal tasked with settling disputes between customers and the airlines says the backlog is growing because the number of incoming complaints keeps increasing.
LIVE B.C. seeks ban on using drugs in 'all public spaces,' shifting approach to decriminalization
The B.C. government is moving to have drug use banned in "all public spaces," marking a major shift in the province's approach to decriminalization.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
AFN chief says Air Canada offered a 15% discount after her headdress was mishandled
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief complained to Air Canada about how staffers treated her and her ceremonial headdress on a flight this week, she says the airline responded by offering a 15 per cent discount on her next flight.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
U.S. flight attendant indicted in attempt to record teen girl in airplane bathroom
An American Airlines flight attendant was indicted Thursday after authorities said he tried to secretly record video of a 14-year-old girl using an airplane bathroom last September.
76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid says he has Bell's palsy
Philadelphia 76ers All-Star centre Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, a form of facial paralysis he says has affected him since before the play-in tournament.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.