Knox County Health Commissioner Zach Green addressed the Mount Vernon City Council on October 24, reporting a significant rise in Lyme disease cases, with an increase of nearly 40% compared to the end of October 2024.
"My infectious disease nurses have been going out to elementary schools and doing a tick buster program to educate our second and third graders. That's where we've got to start, right? We've got to really start having that understanding at a young age that it's not just a typical tick that we all knew growing up," Green said during the October 27 council meeting.
According to a meeting video, Green emphasized the importance of educating county residents and developing response mechanisms for situations involving deer ticks. He noted that while black-legged deer ticks slow down during colder months, Lyme disease can still be contracted in winter as ticks remain mobile.
Green also highlighted the efforts of city code enforcement officials Scott Zimmerman and Brian Marvin, who have been collaborating with Health Department teams on issues related to solid waste and buildings affecting community health.
In addition, Green mentioned that the Health Department recently led an emotional health forum aimed at raising awareness about mental health, behavioral issues, and substance abuse disorders. The forum considered potential stressors during the holiday season that could impact individuals dealing with these disorders.
The commissioner further said that Knox County has increased its focus on suicide prevention. As suicides tend to rise after winter months nationwide, the county is working proactively to address this issue by promoting acceptance of mental health challenges. Vaccination opportunities are also being offered to prevent flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), he said.
