Two probable cases of a potentially life-threatening disease linked to tick bites were “locally-acquired” in the UK last year, health officials have said.One case of probable tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) was reported by a person who was bitten by a tick while visiting Dartmoor.The second person did not recall a tick bite, but had visited the Peak District and the Outer Hebrides, according to a new report.The first-ever case of locally acquired TBE in England was recorded in 2019 after a person was bitten by a tick in the New Forest.Until then, TBE was considered an “imported disease” to the UK, according to the new report illnesses caused by parasites, viruses and bacteria.The new cases brings the total of UK-acquired cases to six, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.Officials said that surveillance indicates that TBE virus remains “limited to a few areas” in Britain – including Thetford Forest, New Forest, Devon, North Yorkshire, Dartmoor and parts of Scotland.Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) was considered an “imported disease” to the UK, according to the new report illnesses caused by parasites, viruses and bacteria (Getty/iStock)Tick-borne encephalitis virus is transmitted by the bite of an infected tick.Infection causes minimal or no symptoms in the majority of infected people, but in rare cases the virus can get into the central nervous system and can potentially lead to long-term neurological symptoms and, very rarely, death.There is a vaccine available and it is recommended for people who work in forestry, woodcutting, farming and the military where the virus is endemic.The most common locally acquired so-called vector-borne diseases in England are from ticks, with 1,168 cases of lyme disease recorded in England last year, according to the report by the UKHSA along with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).This is a rise from 959 in 2024 but remains “similar” to 2023 when 1,151 cases were reported, the authors said.Lyme disease presents with a “bullseye” rash, some people also get flu-like symptoms such as high temperature, headache, muscle or joint pain and fatigue.One case of probable tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) was reported by a person who was bitten by a tick while visiting Dartmoor (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Elsewhere, the report also details mosquito-borne illness which were recorded in England after people had travelled abroad.These include: 159 cases of chikungunya; 336 cases of dengue; 1,629 of malaria and seven cases of zika virus, which were all acquired while people were abroad.While no locally-acquired mosquito-borne infections were reported in England, the report highlights the growing threat of these viruses.Along with the report, officials have updated contingency plans for for invasive aedes mosquitoes in England and for West Nile virusThe aedes mosquito, which transmits dengue and chikungunya viruses, is now established in 16 European countries and officials say that temperatures in the south east of England are already high enough for these mosquitoes to survive.The first ever case of locally acquired TBE in England was recorded in 2019 after a person was bitten by a tick in the New Forest (Local Library)“The overall risk to the public from vector-borne diseases in England remains low, but the findings of this report demonstrate how that risk picture is changing due to factors including climate change, urbanisation and the globalisation of trade and travel,” said Professor Lea BerrangFord, from the UKHSA.“We are now seeing cases of mosquito-borne infections regularly reported across Europe, while we continue to detect incursions of invasive mosquitoes at points of entry in the UK, and it is therefore vital to maintain robust surveillance to protect the biosecurity.”Dr Arran Folly, from the APHA, added: “Mosquitoes and ticks are more than just seasonal nuisances, they can act as early warning signals for emerging disease threats.”