RIVM and Wageningen University researchers expect the tick bite season to reach its peak in the next few weeks. The peak will coincide with the start of the summer holidays.

The percentage of participants (47%) that lost at least 5% of their weight was higher at the end of the entire CLI programme than in the first phase. This is shown by the latest RIVM report on the Combined Lifestyle Intervention (CLI).

The effects of climate change are becoming increasingly visible. RIVM analysed the health effects of climate change for the period 1991–2020. RIVM also investigated the impact of these effects and their likelihood.

Ticks are active again, as shown by the increase in tick bite reports on Tekenradar.nl. Quick action is important: the faster you remove a tick after it bites you, the lower your risk of contracting Lyme disease.

Each year, approximately 27,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease. For most, the symptoms disappear after treatment with antibiotics. Unfortunately, 25% of those treated have chronic symptoms, such as fatigue, concentration disorders or pain.

In 2021, the number of Lyme disease diagnoses with a red ring or rash– known as an erythema migrans, or EM – remained as high as in the previous survey in 2017. GPs diagnosed 25,600 patients with a red ring or rash caused by the Lyme bacteria.

By the end of 2022, the number of participants in the Combined Lifestyle Intervention (CLI) had grown to over 73,000. This is according to a semi-annual report by RIVM. The figure represents a 51% increase since the end of May 2022. The number of participants was around 48,000 at that time.

In 2022, the reported number of tick bites in the Netherlands fell by a third compared to previous years. In order to find a satisfactory explanation for such differences, researchers at WUR and RIVM have initiated a large-scale study via Tekenradar.nl. This will give them more insights into the 1.5 million tick bites in the Netherlands every year.

The Dutch Climate Agreement contains measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the Netherlands. Many products used in the Netherlands are manufactured abroad.

The climate is changing. This process is already affecting the health of people in the Netherlands. As such, it is important to take immediate action to prepare the Netherlands and its population for climate change and to reduce the effects on health