As many people have shared on Facebook and other social media platforms, ticks run rampant not only throughout Berkshire County but in Massachusetts as a whole. There was an article that I recently published regarding a different kind of tick that is known as the Lone Star Tick and you can check out that article by going here.

Speaking of ticks, I recently read a story about how residents of Schoharie County, New York should be careful because the Powassan Virus is at an increase in that particular area.

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What is the Powassan Virus?

According to the article which was published by News 10 it is a very lethal virus that people can contract from a tick bite (though the virus can't be contracted from person to person). This virus is rare but if you do get bit, you can catch a disease that is spread by the virus and it can infect your system within 15 minutes. Mild flu symptoms to inflammation of the brain are symptoms of this disease.

Should Massachusetts Residents Be Concerned About the Powassan Virus?

No matter whether you're in Massachusetts or in New York etc., you should always protect yourself from ticks. You'll want to wear long pants tucked into your socks when being outside for any length of time. In addition, you'll want to use repellent with DEET and check both yourself and other people in your party to make sure there aren't any ticks on you or others. The good news is as far as Massachusetts is concerned is that there have only been 16 cases of Powassan virus infection in Massachusetts in the past 10 years according to mass.gov. If you were to get the virus, it would most likely come from the black-legged tick. You can get more facts and details about the Powassan virus by going here.

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

15 Ways You Can Help People in Ukraine Right Now

As Americans watch events unfold in Ukraine, many wonder how they can help. Below is a list of organizations responding to the crisis in Ukraine along with information on how you can support their various missions. 

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