South Bohemia records historic surge in Lyme disease cases

Health officials in South Bohemia report 467 confirmed cases of Lyme disease so far this year, 143 more than the same period last year, and project the total to exceed 1,000 for the year – a level not seen in decades.

The increase is linked to an electronic reporting system that provides more accurate data and a higher proportion of infected rodents that transmit the disease via ticks. Director of the South Bohemia health authority Kvetoslava Kotrbová said the region also recorded 35 cases of tick‑borne encephalitis, fifteen fewer than last year. South Bohemia traditionally has the highest incidence of tick‑borne illnesses in the Czech Republic.