Deer ticks are rampant on the Cape right now, so for us on the Southcoast; we should be cautious.

According to the Cape Cod Times, there were nine cases of the Powassan virus among residents of Barnstable, Essex, Middlesex and Norfolk counties from 2013 to 2015 says Dr. Catherine Brown, deputy state epidemiologist with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

Symptoms of Powassan include fever, headache and chills. In more severe cases “the virus gets into the central nervous system, resulting in the patient developing symptoms of meningitis and encephalitis including changes in consciousness, stiff neck, vomiting, coma and seizures," Brown said.

Doctors have called this virus the "cousin" of Lymes disease because of the similar symptoms. There have been two reported deaths in Massachusetts due to this disease. The two men being 82 years old, the other 49 - have died of Powassan since 2013 according to an article in the journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases, and 100 cases reported in North America since 1958.

 

Additional Reporting by Sara Achorn

More From WFHN-FM/FUN 107