The Health Protection Agency (HPA) has issued its annual warning advising people to take care when visiting areas where ticks are present, to prevent tick bites and reduce the risk of catching Lyme disease.
Late spring, early summer and autumn are peak times for tick bites and coincide with people venturing outdoors during warmer weather, it said.
Among its awareness-raising initiatives this year, the agency has provided advice to The Royal Parks with a leaflet on Lyme disease.
Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance
Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday
The agency has estimated there are about 800 laboratory-confirmed cases reported annually in patients from England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 cases a year in total.
The leaflet is available from the HPA and The Royal Parks websites. Paper copies are available at The Royal Parks’ information centres at Richmond Park and Bushy Park in London.
