For many, spending time outside is a respite from modern life.
But in certain regions of upstate New York, these everyday rituals are increasingly colliding with a fast-growing public health concern that is harder to see and even harder to control.
In Canandaigua, officials considered an ad hoc committee on tick-borne disease education and prevention after cases surged across Ontario County, the Democrat & Chronicle reported in February.
By April, the seven-member ad hoc committee was officially complete, according to the Finger Lakes Times.
What’s happening?
Lyme disease cases surged from 31 in 2020 to 337 in 2025…