Written by A rare and potentially fatal tick-borne illness currently spreading across the United States can be traced back to a 1958 case involving a young boy on a farm. The disease, known as Powassan virus, was named for the Ontario town near where it was first discovered. At the time of his death, Lincoln Byers, a 4-year-old living in Canada, had a condition that medical professionals could not explain, the Boston Globe reported. Years later, researchers discovered a tick harboring the same virus on a dead squirrel, finally providing an answer to the tragedy, but foreshadowing a growing public health challenge. While once considered an obscure medical anomaly, Powassan virus cases have reached historic highs in the U.S., data show.
Powassan is most prevalent from late spring through mid-fall, when tick populations peak and outdoor activity increases. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 76 Americans were diagnosed with the virus in 2025, the highest annual total on record. Previously, the U.S. averaged just seven to eight diagnoses each year. The virus is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected woodchuck tick or deer tick. Like other tick-borne illnesses, Powassan is most prevalent from late spring through mid-fall, when tick populations peak and outdoor activity increases. Public health experts warn that the virus’s transmission speed makes it uniquely dangerous.
TICK BITE ER VISITS HIT HIGHEST SEASONAL LEVEL IN YEARS AS DOCTORS WARN OF DISEASE SURGE “One of the most dangerous aspects is its rapid transmission,” Dr. Jorge P. Parada, a medical advisor at the National Pest Management Association in Chicago, told Fox News Digital. “Powassan can be transmitted in as little as 15 minutes after the infected tick bites, while Lyme disease usually requires a 36- to 48-hour attachment time for transmission.”
Source: Dangerous tick-borne virus spreading to more Americans, experts warn | Fox News
Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, But he who gathers by labor will increase.
Proverbs 13:11
Northern Colorado health officials confirm first West Nile Virus case in Weld County
On Monday, health officials in Northern Colorado confirmed the first case of West Nile Virus found in Weld County this year. The Weld County Department of Public Health and Environment says the…
Keep reading
Pro-life org again calls on DOJ to end mail-order abotion pills
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America called again on the Department of Justice to end mail-order abortion by settling Louisiana v. FDA in light of a new U.S. Senate report on the “dangerous…
Keep reading
West Nile Virus Activity Confirmed in Montana
DPHHS URGES MONTANANS TO TAKE INCREASED CAUTION AGAINST MOSQUITO BITES THIS SUMMER State and local health officials confirmed the first detections of West Nile virus (WNV) in Montana for summer 2026. WNV…
Keep reading
Woman attacked by otter while swimming in Lake Tahoe, receives nearly 40 stitches
An open-water swimmer says a routine morning swim in Lake Tahoe turned into a frightening encounter when an otter attacked her underwater. Lynnette Bellin said she was swimming near Hidden Beach in…
Keep reading
How much does backcountry rescue really cost?
Last month, a hiker on a high-alpine plateau just beneath the summit headwall of the highest peak in Montana made a painful calculation. David Cifaldi had taken a fall on his way…
Keep reading
Nebraska feedlot owner says beef imports won’t solve drought-driven supply problem
The federal government’s latest plan to bring more foreign beef into the country while cutting red tape for producers to process their own beef would do nothing to help American cattle producers,…
Keep reading
Diesel spill from truck crash near Floriston threatens local wildlife
About 100 gallons of diesel spilled over the side of a bridge after a semi-truck accident in Nevada County, threatening nearby wildlife, state officials said. CDFW Two “saddle tanks” on a semi-truck…
Keep reading
Minor earthquake reported in southeast Ohio
A minor earthquake was logged in southeast Ohio on Monday morning, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The USGS said that around 4:06 a.m., a 2.2-magnitude quake struck around seven kilometers north…
Keep reading
New Mexico man killed in rare fatal bear attack, only second in state in a century
In a rare kind of attack, a bear killed a man in Crystal, New Mexico, on Thursday, local police said. The police department for the Navajo Nation said officers within its Window…
Keep reading
Understanding God’s Love Through Jesus
God didn’t send Jesus because the world was worthy of saving, He sent Him because the world was worth loving. When we were lost, God didn’t give up on us; He gave…
Keep reading
Bear encounters are on the rise. Here’s what to do if you meet one
A drought in the western U.S. has devastated wildlands, dried up food sources and sent bears wandering along city sidewalks and into homes and shops in search of food. What should you…
Keep reading
Rabid baby goats prompt North Carolina mobile petting zoo scare
At least three baby goats belonging to a North Carolina petting zoo have tested positive for rabies, prompting state health officials to issue an urgent warning to those who visited the operation’s…
Keep reading
12-foot Mississippi River gator caught — now, who wants to go swimming?
Alligator hunting season is off to a massive start in Mississippi — and this catch is enough to make you think twice before jumping into the Mississippi River. According to the Vicksburg…
Keep reading
Mudslide blocks road along Colorado River in Eagle County
Crews are working to clear a large mudslide that brought boulders and debris down on a road in Eagle County, Colorado. On Saturday afternoon, the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office said the area…
Keep reading
2 canoers found dead in Tomales Bay after not returning from camping trip
Two people who went canoeing and camping in the Tomales Bay area were found dead after they never returned from their planned trip, officials said. Marin County Fire said the pair left…
Keep reading
Overturned fuel tanker carrying 7,500 gallons of diesel closes DeKalb County road as crews work to contain runoff
Cleanup crews found no diesel runoff after a tanker carrying about 7,500 gallons of fuel overturned in DeKalb County, fire officials said in an update late Friday morning. A spokesperson with DeKalb…
Keep reading
Overturned big rig dangles from Interstate 80 bridge, blocks eastbound traffic in Nevada County
Traffic on Interstate Highway 80 near the Nevada state line was blocked by an overturned big rig dangling from a bridge on Friday, authorities said. The crash happened at about 11:20 a.m.…
Keep reading
Embracing Light: The Divinity of Jesus Explained
Before there was a manger, there was the Word; before Jesus walked among us, He was already God. The Creator stepped into His creation, bringing light into our darkness so that we…
Keep reading
Dozens of people evacuated from parts of the Grand Canyon after flash floods
Dozens of people were evacuated Saturday from Grand Canyon National Park after parts of the canyon were struck by flash flooding. Bright Angel Canyon was hit by flash floods Saturday afternoon, according…
Keep reading
Mountain lion cub rescued in Santa Monica Mountains is recovering after having leg amputated
A mountain lion cub who was rescued in the Santa Monica Mountains after being abandoned by his mother at just three weeks old is recovering well after a life-changing surgery. The cub…
Keep reading
The Power of Forgiveness in Christian Relationships
When life feels overwhelming, one of the most powerful ways to reflect Christ is simply to be present for someone else. God calls us to pray for others, forgive freely, and carry…
Keep reading
‘We are trying to survive.’ | More than 50,000 San Antonio residents still without power amid Texas heat
More than 50,000 residents remained without electricity Saturday Night as crews worked around the clock to restore power following extensive damage from strong winds and falling trees. For residents who have been…
Keep reading
Mother bear, 3 cubs freed after getting trapped in La Verne water tank
A mother bear and her three cubs were rescued after becoming trapped inside a large water storage tank in La Verne Saturday, prompting a large response from firefighters and wildlife officials. Officials…
Keep reading
Payette Lake produces new state catch-and-release lake trout — again
By now, if you follow Idaho Fish and Game’s stringer of record fish stories, you’re well aware that there’s one lake that comes to mind when you mention the words lake trout:…
Keep reading
Winter Weather Warning Issued for 6 Inches of Snow and 70 MPH Gusts Through Saturday Evening
NWS Fairbanks has gusts of 70 mph forecast for the Richardson Highway on Friday and 65 on the Parks, peaking between 4 and 10 in the morning, and those are the two…
Keep reading
Baby Bear Nibbles on Photographer’s Boot
A baby bear took a nibble at a photographer after becoming curious about his boot. Wildlife photographer Bruce Robert Danz was in the Katmai Preserve in Alaska on August 2 with another…
Keep reading
Preliminary 4.8 earthquake strikes off Northern California coast
A preliminary 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the Northern California coast Friday night, and no tsunami is expected, officials said. The United States Geological Survey says the earthquake struck off the Humboldt…
Keep reading
How Fulfilled Prophecies Affirm God’s Promises
Every fulfilled prophecy is a fingerprint of God on history. What He has promised before, He has faithfully completed. “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken…
Keep reading
Cultivating a Heart of Peace: Tips for Spiritual Growth
Your life is moving in the direction of your heart, whether you realize it or not. What you allow in today will shape who you become tomorrow. Keep your heart with all…
Keep reading
Another Alzheimer’s blood test gets OK from FDA
The US Food and Drug Administration has cleared Roche and partner Eli Lilly’s blood test to help identify signs of Alzheimer’s disease in people age 55 and older with cognitive decline. The…
Keep readingSomething went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Discover more from Drink of Jesus
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.