PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — A 60-year-old Washington County man, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health, has been diagnosed with Powassan virus- a rare tick-borne disease.
The Department of Health says that this is the third case of Powassan virus detected in the state this year, and only the eleventh case reported in Rhode Island since 2016. The man reportedly began exhibiting some of the symptoms in August.
Powassan virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control, is a rare disease that can be spread by bites from three different types of ticks, including deer ticks. While cases are still rare, they have been increasing, with 2025 seeing a record 76 cases reported nationwide…