A tick-borne illness that tends to lurk behind Lyme in public awareness is moving closer to center stage. Health officials say Powassan virus disease, still rare but often more dangerous than Lyme, has shot up from seven reported US cases in 2015 to 76 in 2025, reports the Washington Post. Recent infections in New Jersey and New Hampshire have drawn attention, and NBC Boston reports that a man in Rhode Island also is recovering. The disease is spread mainly by blacklegged (deer) ticks in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, the same ticks that carry Lyme. But there's one big difference: The virus can pass to humans in as little as 15 minutes of attachment—far faster than Lyme.
Most infected people are thought to have no symptoms, but those who do may first feel flu-like: fever, fatigue, muscle aches, per the CDC. In some, the virus invades the central nervous system within weeks, causing brain or spinal cord inflammation and symptoms that can resemble a stroke: confusion, slurred speech, loss of coordination, seizures, or paralysis. Among symptomatic patients, about 15% die and half of survivors have lasting neurological issues.
There's no vaccine or specific treatment for Powassan. Experts link the rise in cases to tick expansion related to warming temperatures, and they advise the usual tactics: repellents, permethrin-treated clothing, frequent tick checks, and prompt removal of any ticks found. The illness is named for the Canadian city where it was first identified decades ago.
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