The Wisconsin Department of Health Services is warning residents about a tickborne illness that has recently taken a life.
Officials say three people across the state have been hospitalized with Powassan virus and one of those patients has died. The virus is spread by the blacklegged tick, a deer tick that also carries Lyme disease and other illnesses. Experts say Powassan virus infections are rare but Wisconsin did see 12 cases last year, the second-most of any U.S. state. It can cause mild illness or neurological disease and is especially risky for older adults, young kids, and people with weakened immune systems, according to the health department.
