New Brunswick public health officials are reporting a marked rise in tick exposures this year, with data indicating encounters with ticks that can transmit disease have climbed to more than double the three‑year average. So far in 2026 the province has recorded 57 confirmed cases of Lyme disease and 10 cases of anaplasmosis.
Seasonal surge and regional differences
Authorities and researchers caution that the numbers likely reflect early‑season activity and that full-year totals may yet change. Last year New Brunswick set a record with 212 diagnosed cases of Lyme disease, the highest to date. Public‑health tracking shows the risk is not evenly distributed across the province. The Saint John area is currently identified as the highest‑risk region, while Fredericton and Moncton are considered to carry moderate risk.
Mount Allison University biologist and long‑time tick researcher Vett Lloyd noted the trend of increasing tick‑borne illness has been felt across Canada and is particularly noticeable in the Maritimes.
"We're seeing at least a tenfold increase over the past 10 years," Lloyd said, describing the rise in Lyme disease diagnoses.
Why the Maritimes are seeing more ticks
Lloyd and public‑health officials point to environmental factors that favour tick survival and expansion. The Maritime provinces have experienced changes in climate and moisture patterns that create more hospitable conditions for the blacklegged tick, which carries the bacteria responsible for Lyme disease and can also transmit other pathogens such as Anaplasma phagocytophilum.
Ticks are present in New Brunswick year‑round but are most active during cooler, moist periods of spring and fall. That seasonality helps explain the early rise in reported exposures.
Confirmed cases so far in 2026
| Condition | Confirmed cases (so far in 2026) |
|---|---|
| Lyme disease | 57 |
| Anaplasmosis | 10 |
| Lyme disease (total in 2025) | 212 |
What residents should know and do
Public‑health authorities urge New Brunswickers to take practical precautions when spending time outdoors, especially in higher‑risk regions. Recommended actions include:
- Wearing long sleeves and long pants, tucking pant legs into socks and using insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin;
- Checking clothing and body for ticks after being in wooded or grassy areas, and showering soon after returning indoors;
- Promptly removing any attached tick using fine‑tipped tweezers, grasping the tick as close to the skin as possible and pulling straight out;
- Monitoring for symptoms after a bite — including fever, headache, fatigue, or the characteristic expanding rash — and seeking medical advice if symptoms develop.
Clinicians typically consider both clinical signs and possible exposure when evaluating suspected tick‑borne disease. Because multiple pathogens circulate in ticks, public‑health surveillance covers illnesses beyond Lyme disease.
Public‑health monitoring and research
The province maintains a tick‑bite tracker to collect reports of exposures and guide public‑health messaging. Researchers such as Lloyd have been studying tick ecology and disease emergence for years; her own interest began after she experienced delayed treatment for Lyme disease.
She emphasises that rising case counts are not confined to New Brunswick and reflect broader shifts in tick distribution and human exposure patterns across Canada.
Practical information and next steps
Health officials advise people who find a tick attached to seek guidance from their local health centre or family physician, particularly if they develop symptoms in the days or weeks following a bite. The provincial tracker and public‑health alerts will continue to update residents as new data become available.
For now, the clearest message from experts and health authorities is one of vigilance: with environmental conditions favouring tick activity and confirmed cases already reported this season, simple preventive measures remain the most effective defence.
