What Is Powassan Virus? New York Man Dies of Rare Tick-Borne Illness

Powassan virus is very rare—but can be transmitted by a tick 15 minutes after it bites.

People who live in New York’s Ulster County are on alert after a local resident recently died of a rare tick-borne illness. The illness, known as Powassan virus, is an often serious disease that’s spread by infected ticks.

This is the first known case of a person who has been diagnosed with Powassan virus in the state of New York this year, according to the Ulster County Health Department. Details about the case are scarce, but the health department did say that the person who died had “additional underlying health conditions.”

Still, the organization is warning local residents to “take every precaution necessary” to avoid being bitten by ticks, like tucking your pants into your socks, wearing effective tick repellents, and doing a full-body check on yourself and your pets for tick bites after being outdoors.

See the full article by Korin Miller on Prevention's website here.