Not only Russian drones: ixodid ticks are actively crawling onto Mykolaiv residents

Mykolaiv Department of Health 24 April 2026 warned residents about increased tick activity. With warming, ixodid ticks become active, which can carry dangerous infections, in particular Lyme disease, or borreliosis, and tick-borne encephalitis.

According to the department, since the beginning of April to the trauma unit of the City Emergency Hospital 3 people have already sought care due to tick bites. In all cases, after removal of the tick and treatment of the bite site, patients were referred to an infectious disease specialist so that prophylactic antibiotic therapy could be prescribed if necessary.

For comparison: for the whole 2025 year, 31 people sought care at the trauma unit of the City Emergency Hospital (CEH) due to tick bites.

Medical professionals remind that during walks you should choose light-colored clothing with long sleeves, and pants should preferably be tucked into socks. It may not be the most fashionable, but it is a practical way to reduce the risk of a bite. It is also advisable to use repellents specifically labeled “against ticks” and to avoid entering tall grass and dense shrubs unless necessary.

After returning home you should carefully inspect yourself, children and pets, take a shower, change clothes and wash items. Be especially thorough when checking areas behind the ears, the neck, armpits, groin, and the folds of the knees and elbows.

If a tick has already attached, there is no need to panic, but you must act quickly. It is best to go to the trauma unit. If that is not possible, the tick can be removed independently with tweezers or a special tool: grasp it as close to the skin as possible and gently pull upward.

At the Mykolaiv Department of Health they emphasize separately: do not use oil, alcohol or other liquids.

After removing the tick the bite site should be disinfected. If the parasite was attached to the body for more than 36 hours, you should consult a doctor about post-exposure prophylaxis for Lyme disease. An antibiotic in such a case should be prescribed only by a medical professional.

The city department also reminded: it is not necessary to submit the tick for analysis. After a bite, monitor your condition carefully for a few weeks. If fever, weakness or redness on the skin appears, seek medical attention immediately.

Tick season is not a reason to give up walks, but it is certainly a reason to be more cautious. One unnoticed bite can lead to serious health problems if medical help is not sought in time.

• No medicines, but protection exists: rabies vaccine available at healthcare facilities in Mykolaiv region
• A dog suspected of rabies bit two people in Mykolaiv region
• Two doses for the whole region: Mykolaiv region left without rabies medication
• An invisible killer on the streets of Mykolaiv: doctors warn of the deadly threat of rabies
• In Mykolaiv, animals continue to bite people en masse: how many were infected with rabies