Tick season appears to be arriving earlier than many people expected. The CDC says emergency room visits for tick bites are higher than normal in many parts of the country, with weekly rates in most regions reaching the highest levels for this time of year since 2017. Health officials are urging people to take tick prevention seriously before summer outdoor activity reaches its peak.

Ticks are easy to miss because many are extremely small, especially younger ticks that can be no bigger than a poppy seed. People may not feel the bite right away, which gives the tick more time to stay attached. That matters because some tick-borne illnesses, including Lyme disease, become more likely when an infected tick remains attached for a longer period.

Doctors warn that early symptoms can sometimes look like a regular flu or summer illness. Fever, rash, body aches, fatigue, and joint pain should not be ignored after time spent in grassy, wooded, or brushy areas. Lyme disease remains the most common tick-borne illness in the United States, and other conditions like Rocky Mountain spotted fever and alpha-gal syndrome can also be serious if missed or treated late.

The best protection is simple but important. Use insect repellent, wear long sleeves and pants when walking through tall grass or wooded areas, check your body and pets after being outside, and remove ticks carefully with tweezers as soon as you find them. The warning is not meant to create panic. It is a reminder that one tiny bite can cause big problems if people ignore it too long.