Tick-borne encephalitis cases double in Switzerland compared to previous year
So far, Switzerland has recorded more than twice as many cases of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) compared to the same period last year. Experts suggest that ticks are becoming more active due to climate change and mild winters. As of the end of March 2024, the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) had recorded over twice as many cases of tick-borne disease TBE compared to the same period in 2023. According to the FOPH, there has been an increase in the disease's incidence over the past five years. The FOPH has reported 27 cases of tick-borne encephalitis so far this year. In 2023, there were eleven cases at the same time. After the peak year of 2020, this year's TBE case numbers have so far been within the range of the annual fluctuations observed, wrote the FOPH. Tick-borne encephalitis virus can lead to meningitis, and vaccination is recommended by the FOPH from the age of six. Meanwhile, by the end of March 2024, fewer cases of the tick-borne disease borreliosis (also known as ...