Saratoga Resident Dies From Rare Tick Borne Illness

Ticks are more than just overly active this year it seems. Last week, Rensselaer County had high reports of tick borne illnesses and now someone has passed away in Saratoga.

As noted in this link, last week Rensselaer County in just the morning hours on Friday had 8 confirmed reports of a tick borne illness. That illness goes by the name of Anaplasmosis. An illness transmitted from both the Deer Tick and the Western Black Legged Tick. The illness that claimed the life of a Saratoga resident is much different.

The Powassan Virus is spread when you are bitten by a tick which is itself infected. In the US over the past 10 years there have only been 75 reports of this virus in total. In that time New York accounts for 24 of them and three this year. The scarier part of it is the CDC claims many people who become infected don't notice any of the common symptoms. Symptoms that would include, fever, headache, vomiting, weakness, confusion, loss of coordination, speech difficulties, and seizures.

No information has been reported on the person who passed away in Saratoga County due to protocol. More info from News 10 below.