News | RIVM

Ten years of Tick Radar 80,000 tick bite reports; chances of being bitten highest in Drenthe

After recording 80,000 tick bites in 10 years via Tekenradar.nl, we now know that you are most likely to be bitten by a tick in Drenthe. Quickly removing the tick halves the chance of contracting Lyme disease.

Levels of salt, saturated fat, and sugar in most foods has remained the same or decreased

The levels of salt, saturated fat, and sugar in most processed foods has remained the same or decreased since 2018.

Long-term symptoms more common after Lyme disease

More than a quarter of people with Lyme disease continue to have long-term symptoms that lead to limitations in daily life even after treatment.

Spread of tick-borne encephalitis virus in the Netherlands

Every year about 1.5 million ticks bite someone in the Netherlands, especially between March and October. Most people will not get sick of that.

Every year, 300,000 tick bites in urban areas

One in 5 tick bites occurs in an urban area. Although most tick bites occur in the countryside, many people are bitten in urban areas as well.

Less salt in certain foods, sugar contents remain unchanged

The salt content in bread was on average 19 percent lower compared to 2011. In addition, certain types of sauces, soups, canned vegetables and pulses, and crisps had a lower salt content.

First patient infected by tick-borne encephalitis virus

For the first time, a person in the Netherlands has fallen ill after a bite from a tick carrying the tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBE virus).

Eating less salt can prevent tens of thousands of heart attacks and strokes

Lowering the amount of salt in processed foods or choosing low-salt alternatives can lead to substantial health benefits when it comes to cardiovascular disease.

Lower salt contents in some foods, but similar saturated fat contents

Some foods contain less salt in 2014 compared with 2011. According to research by RIVM the salt content of bread was 21 percent lower in 2011.