As warmer weather draws more people outdoors across Türkiye, health authorities are urging the public to take precautions against ticks and tick-borne diseases, warning that improper removal methods can increase health risks.
Erdoğan Öz, director general of public health at Türkiye's Ministry of Health, said ticks become a greater concern during the summer months, particularly in rural areas, grassy fields, forests, vineyards, gardens and picnic sites.
Öz warned that Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF), a potentially serious viral disease, can be transmitted through tick bites or contact with infected ticks. The disease can also spread through contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected people and animals.
While some infected individuals may show no symptoms, others can develop severe illness, he said.
Öz stressed that people should not panic if they discover a tick attached to their body but should remove it correctly and as quickly as possible.
