New Killer Tick-Borne Disease Spreading Through Southern Maine

It's shaping up to be a bad tick season. And now there's more than just Lyme disease to be concerned about. The Maine Medical Research Institute in Scarborough, say the Powassan virus is being spread by deer ticks across southern Maine.

Most cases seem to be occurring along a coastal stretch in York County. And while Lyme disease is mostly transmitted in the summer, Powassan is most prevalent in the spring, and again from October to December.

Unlike Lyme disease, which can take a day or two to spread, researchers say Powassan can probably be transmitted in less than an hour. And it's deadly. Eight people have died in the past few years.

So if you plan on trekking through the woods anytime soon, make sure you're wearing long sleeves, and do a thorough tick check afterward.