The Georgia Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of a new type of tick in Georgia.
The Asian Longhorned tick is classified as an invasive pest that can transfer diseases to people, pets and livestock. It's shown up in Habersham, Hall, White and Pickens counties. The tick is native to eastern Asia, but was found in the U.S. in 2017.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the tick has been found in 17 states, with Georgia as its latest destination. Scientists are still learning more about how the Asian ticks carry disease in the U.S. and they don't yet know whether the ticks will be spreading diseases already in this country such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
