MAINE PUBLIC • January 2, 2025
Maine saw a record-breaking number of tick-borne disease cases in 2024 for a second year in a row. Between January and December, 3,218 cases of Lyme disease were reported, according to final figures the state released Thursday. Last year, 2,943 cases of that disease broke the previous record. Higher numbers of Lyme and other diseases carried by ticks are seen alongside increasing habitat ranges for ticks in recent years that’s making it more difficult to work or play outside as warmer, wetter winters in Maine are allowing the ticks to stay more active and reproduce longer.