Lyme Disease: A vector borne disease that can be acquired through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick. Blacklegged ticks can be found in the County of Simcoe and District of Muskoka. 

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) is urging everyone to follow physical distancing recommendations and follow public health measures, so we can flatten the curve of COVID-19.

Physical distancing includes staying at home if possible, staying at least 2 metres (6 feet) distance from others, limiting time out for necessary purchases, avoiding congregating in public settings, and continuing to practice diligent hand hygiene.

As a result, effective April 16, 2020, we will no longer be accepting ticks for submission.

When you find a tick attached to yourself or a family member, the SMDHU is asking that the website etick.ca be used to identify the tick. eTick is a public platform for image-based tick identification. There is no cost to use this platform and the website is best viewed with Chrome, Safari, or Firefox.

If through eTick, the tick has been identified as a blacklegged (Ixodes scapularis) tick, please contact your health care provider about what next steps to take, if any, for your health. If needed, they can submit the tick to the Public Health Ontario Laboratory for confirmation and subsequent bacterial testing by the National Microbiology Laboratory. Note that this process may take weeks to months. Please fill out the form online, print, and bring the form with the tick to your physician.