A warmer, humid world where ticks thrive is increasing spread of Lyme and other diseases

CNN —

This year, people are seeking emergency care for tick bites in the highest level since 2017, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and reported cases of Lyme disease have continued to rise through the years.

Experts say the increases are driven by warmer temperatures due to climate change and the expanding presence of ticks in more areas in the U.S. and Canada — including places where people are less familiar with the risks and how to prevent disease.

"When we first started doing this [in the mid-1980s], there were very few cases of Lyme disease reported in Canada. Lyme disease is pretty well established in Canada at this point," said Dr. Thomas Daniels, the director of the Louis Calder Center, Fordham University's biological field station