It's tick season in Connecticut, and doctors who are on the lookout for the COVID-19 virus say some of the tick infections can have similar symptoms.

With tick season in full effect this year, doctors are now having a more difficult time diagnosing patients for COVID-19 since some tick infections have similar symptoms to the virus.

According to wtnh.com, doctors at UConn Health in Farmington have reported that some tick borne infections can resemble the same symptoms as COVID-19, and that's been making it very challenging to distinguish between the two.

Now for the most part, Lyme disease is easier to diagnose due to the bullseye rash, however there are other tick infections, that also are transmitted from the deer tick that are have symptoms more similar to coronavirus.

Dr. David Banach, Head of Infection Prevention at UConn Health, told wtnh.com about what doctors are facing trying to decipher between tick borne illness and COVID-19.

Patients with babesia and anaplasma can have a fever, so that's the first thing checked in patients as we work to diagnose and treat people with COVID-19. We’re still in the early phase of that overlap between COVID and tick borne disease and infection, but it just reminds us to think broadly about patients and not focus in too much on one particular diagnosis. Anyone in the summer who presents with flu-like symptoms, we don’t really see the flu in the summertime here in Connecticut so think about those other tick infections, particularly if you’ve had any outdoor exposure, or in wooded areas.

Of course, with any virus or illness, like tick bites, prevention is your best defense. If your going to be in wooded areas, or hiking, use tick repellents, wear clothing that covers most of your body, and perform tick checks after returning inside. Also, wash the clothes you had on in hot water, and make sure you shower.

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