What happens when coronavirus and Lyme disease intersect? It's a scary time for patients
With overlapping symptoms and a ferocious tick season already upon us, we’re in for a confusing — and dangerous — summer.
In mid-March, shortly after coronavirus quarantine rules went into effect in New York, sportscaster and former professional tennis player Patrick McEnroe went out for a run in a local park. An itch on his upper-arm a day later revealed an embedded tick, which he promptly removed. After urging from his wife, he sent the tick to a lab to test if it was infected with Lyme.
Normally energetic, McEnroe soon became lethargic and short of breath; he had trouble sleeping and, in the hours he did, his dreams were uncharacteristically bizarre. When his fever hit 100 degrees for two consecutive days, he was tested for COVID-19. His tick test returned positive for Lyme. The next day, his COVID-19 test came back positive, too.
This scenario points to a looming crisis. What happens when a pandemic meets another health crisis? With overlapping symptoms and a ferocious tick season already upon us, we’re in for a confusing — and dangerous — summer.
December 3, 2023
USA Today
USA TODAY NETWORK is the largest local-to-national digital media organization in the country. USA TODAY, our national flagship brand, sits at the center of the NETWORK, surrounded by hundreds of local media properties reporting on the stories and cultural moments happening across America and in our communities.
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