“What you need
to know about
ticks”
As summer heat descends, replacing balmy spring breezes,
ticks are becoming active in many regions of the United
States. In the coming months, some experts predict that ticks
and the diseases they cause will be more abundant due to
warmer winter temperatures. Ticks are not insects,
said Goudarz Molaei, a research scientist. They are arachnids,
a relative of the spider. "People should realize that ticks do
not jump. They do not fly, and they do not drop from trees,"
Molaei said. To survive, ticks must eat the blood of mammals,
birds, reptiles or amphibians. If infected with bacteria,
viruses or parasites, a biting tick poses a risk to human
health. Ticks can be found in our backyards, under leaves, on
ground cover, around walls and near structures and
woodpiles. "Generally, people cannot feel the tick bite, but
after a day or two, they sense a mild itching," he said. What
do I do when a tick bites? First things first: Remove the tick
and thoroughly clean the bite area with alcohol and then soap
and water. There's no need to visit a doctor immediately.
“Visit your doctor when symptoms (fever/rash) appear," Wall
said, noting that it can take days or weeks. "Save the tick.” IF
you do end up at the doctor, he may want to send the tick off
to a lab for identification.
In Other News



The National Football League announced three changes to the game
on Tuesday, but the one getting most of the attention has to do with
end zone celebrations. For years, the league has limited how players
could celebrate following touchdowns, and for how long. The rules
have been loosened for the 2017 season — allowing players to again
use the football as a prop, celebrate as a group and roll around on
the ground if they like. Fans have long wanted the NFL to lighten up.
Goodell also said he was looking forward to seeing what players
would do with their new-found freedom of expression.
UPDATE Police in Manchester say they have arrested three more men
in connection with the suicide bombing at a pop concert that killed
22 people. They said Wednesday the arrests had been made in the
south of the city, where a day earlier a 23-year-old man was also
arrested and a number of homes were searched. Police are trying to
establish if bomber Salman Abedi acted alone or whether there could
be a risk of further attacks.
Prime Minister Theresa May announced Tuesday night that the UK
has raised its threat level to "critical" -- the highest level -- for the
first time in a decade. The level suggests intelligence services believe
an attack is "imminent.”