County health officials said July 15 that the county saw a notable uptick in tick-borne illness in June and issued a public notice urging residents to take precautions. The Health and Human Services Committee heard that the increase led to hospitalizations and more emergency-department visits.

Why it matters: Local officials said the spike has strained community concern about prevention and access to treatment and prompted the health department to remind residents about protective behaviors and where to seek care.

At the meeting, Commissioner Gibson asked whether the county faced a local shortage of doxycycline, an antibiotic commonly used to treat several tick-borne infections. "Are we in danger of running out of doxycycline or any of those things locally?" Gibson asked.

Director McGannes of the health department said the department had issued a notice after the June findings and that the health department does not supply doxycycline directly. "No. So you have to go to your doctor," McGannes said when asked where residents should seek antibiotics. McGannes added that urgent-care clinics generally will prescribe it when clinically indicated.

Committee members pressed staff about prevention options, including outdoor spraying. A committee member described frequent tick contact with pets and asked whether community-level spraying could be expanded. McGannes cautioned against large-scale environmental spraying and said evidence on population-level benefit and safety is mixed; she added that climate factors and natural cycles can drive year-to-year variation in tick activity. "The environmental sprays are not necessarily encouraged on a larger level," McGannes said, adding that sprays often do not persist through rain events.

Officials described individual-level prevention measures as the immediate recommendation — daily checks, topical pet preventives and prompt clinical evaluation when symptoms appear. The health department said it had issued a public notice ahead of the July holiday weekend after compiling the June data.

The committee did not direct the health department to purchase or distribute antibiotics; the department reiterated it will continue public messaging and work with clinical providers on testing and treatment pathways.

Officials also noted variability in testing accuracy and in clinicians' prescribing practices; McGannes said some local providers will prescribe empiric treatment if clinical suspicion is high and paperwork (releases/referrals) is in order.

Ending: The health department told the committee it will continue public outreach and monitoring; residents with suspected tick exposure should contact their clinician or urgent care for evaluation and possible prescription treatment.