Tick bites are causing more hospital visits than they have been in nearly a decade, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDP). The majority of these cases are in the Northeast and Midwest. In New Jersey, the number of reported tick-borne illnesses has more than doubled over the past five years. The only tick species that pose a threat to humans are blacklegged “deer” tick, lone star tick, Asian longhorned tick, and American dog tick. As of April 16, there have been 1,279 cases of tick-related illnesses and 169 emergency room visits related to ticks, a 27% increase from the previous year.