Rhode Island woman dies from tick-borne illness

An elderly Rhode Island woman has died from a rare tick-borne disease called Powassan, the state’s Department of Health reported Tuesday. Though the disease is rare, health officials are cautioning New Englanders to be vigilant about tick checks this season as there is no vaccine or treatment for Powassan.

Officials said the woman, who was over 80, developed neurological symptoms and died in mid-July after being exposed to a tick carrying the disease. 

Powassan is very rare, with only 239 cases reported in the United States between 2013 and 2022, 93 of them in New England. However, cases have increased in recent years, according to the CDC — partially due to changing land use patterns and climate change. Outside of the Northeast, the disease is most commonly found in the Great Lakes region and eastern Canada. 

Early symptoms of Powassan include fever, headache, vomiting, and generalized weakness, according to the R.I. Department of Health. As it progresses, it can cause meningoencephalitis, altered mental status, seizures, aphasia, muscular weakness, and paralysis. 

There is no vaccine for Powassan, and since it’s a viral infection, antibiotics don’t work on it. The CDC counsels rest and fluids for mild Powassan disease, but warns that people with severe cases often need to be hospitalized.

The best way to avoid Powassan disease is by avoiding ticks, R.I. health officials said. People spending time outside should use bug spray, wear full-coverage clothing, perform full-body tick checks, and remove any ticks they find. Adults should also check their children and dogs for ticks.

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