Pharmacists in Monteregie can now administer antibiotics to people at risk for Lyme Disease.
The number of cases of Lyme Disease in the area has shot up in the last couple of years.
In 2016, 56 people contracted the disease.
A year later, that number nearly doubled, to 102 cases.
The disease is transmitted when a carrier tick bites a human.
The ticks are often found in forests.
“The tick species that transmits lyme disease in its infant stage is about the size of a poppy seed, so you have to do a very thorough tick check,” said Jim Wilson, founder of the Canadian Lyme Disease Foundation.
“It's important to remove your clothing because it's almost impossible to be 100 per cent sure you haven't brought a tick in on you.”
To qualify for the treatments, people must have been bitten in the Monteregie, Estrie, or Outaouais areas, and the tick must have been attached to the person’s body for at least 24 hours.
