Expert issues warning after deadly, tick-borne virus is found in US region for first time: 'This is a very scary infection'

A deadly tick-borne virus has emerged for the first time in Delaware, alarming state health officials. 

What's happening?

Bay to Bay News reported that a tick tested positive for the Powassan virus, a potentially deadly illness.

"This is a very scary infection," state tick biologist Ashley Kennedy told the news outlet. "It can be fatal. There are neuroinvasive cases that are not treatable."

Why is Powassan concerning?

Initial symptoms of Powassan include fever, headache, vomiting, and weakness, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the virus often leads to a more severe disease that can cause inflammation of the brain or the membranes around the brain and spinal cord. There are no vaccines for Powassan or medicines to treat it.

Powassan is particularly concerning because a tick can pass it on to humans within 15 minutes of a bite.

"There's really no safe length of time to have a tick feeding on you," Kennedy told Bay to Bay News.

While Powassan is still rare, it is on the rise across the United States — according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there was just one reported case in 2004, but that number rose to 60 in 2024, all of which were neuroinvasive. Most cases have been in the Northeast, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

One of the driving factors is rising temperatures, which is allowing blacklegged ticks — the virus' main carrier — to survive and thrive in more northern locations. This is also the case for other tick-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease. For instance, Lyme disease risk has spiked significantly in two Canadian provinces in recent years.

What's being done about Powassan?

Kennedy stressed that the best way for people to safeguard themselves is through preventative measures: Wearing light-colored clothing, which makes it easier to see ticks, for example. She also advised making it harder for ticks to access skin by taking measures such as tucking pants into socks and shirts into pants.

The CDC also recommends treating clothing and gear with 0.5% permethrin and using EPA-registered insect repellents. 

Kennedy encouraged people to make sure their pets are on a tick preventative year-round. Pretty soon, people might be able to take a similar medication, too — researchers are developing a tick-repelling drug for humans.

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