Powassan and West Nile Virus Cases Confirmed in Maine 2025

Feels like summer in Maine, why? Tick-borne illnesses.

Maine has now officially confirmed it’s very human case of a tick-borne illness this year, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and it’s a doozy.

An adult Hancock Resident recently tested positive for the Powassan virus, according to WGME.

This is a very rare and serious illness. It was transmitted through the bite of a tick that was infected. The person was put in the hospital but we don’t have any further details on their condition or if they’ve been released, as per the article.

What we do know is this. This is the very first confirmed case of Powassan virus in Maine for 2025.

Sadly, in the past two years, as per the article, two Maine people have died from it. This illness can lead to many neurological complications as well.

In addition to the positive Powassan virus, officials have also confirmed that we had a case of West Nile virus in a bird found in York County.

West Nile is a mosquito-borne illness. It can cause flu symptoms and be more serious in rare cases.

Maine Reports First Powassan and West Nile Virus Cases of 2025

How can we stay cautious and safe? The folks at the Maine CDC remind us that prevention is the key saying,

CDC Health Educator Megan Porters says,

“If you have found a tick has bitten you, you want to remove it right away. If you've been bitten by a tick or mosquito, and you start to feel flu like symptoms, especially now during the summer, call a health care provider and mention you've been bitten by a tick or some mosquitoes. That puts those diseases on their list of possibilities."

It’s always good to also perform constant tick checks after being outdoors, in the woods, and to remove any ticks immediately.

Both of these viruses are uncommon but they are and can be very dangerous.

Because our summer months are in full swing, we’re all urged to stay vigilant throughout the highest tick months of the year.