Michigan’s Lyme disease numbers have climbed sharply, from 471 cases in 2020 to more than 2,000 in 2025, a 350% increase that now places the state in the CDC’s high-incidence category. State health officials say the trend has been building for a decade as ticks expand into new areas. For anyone who spends time outdoors, the takeaway is straightforward: check yourself, your kids, and your pets after hikes, yard work, or beachside trails.
The same InvestigateTV+ episode also highlights pandemic-era learning loss. A Johns Hopkins Medicine study found children born in 2020 aren’t the age group facing the biggest developmental challenges, but teachers continue to report speech and vocabulary delays in kids born during the COVID years. Parents and grandparents noticing anything unusual should talk with a pediatrician early. The episode also covers a dog-sized AI security robot patrolling businesses nationwide and Trine University students who built a device helping a Gulf War Navy veteran named Chester Evitt shoot a bow again.
Living on the Suncoast means outdoor time nearly year-round, so tick awareness belongs in the same conversation as red tide and hurricane prep. What’s your routine for checking for ticks after a day outside?
