The number of TBE cases has risen sharply this summer. By July 20, 213 people had been infected, compared with fewer cases in the same period in previous years.
Tick bites have led to a clear increase in TBE cases in Sweden. The Public Health Agency reports 213 confirmed cases by July 20 this year. The figure is higher than in the corresponding period of 2024 and 2025, when 111 and 138 cases were recorded respectively.
Ulrika Marking, an infectious disease physician at the Public Health Agency, points to climate change as a contributing factor. Warmer springs favor ticks and increase the number of people spending time outdoors. She states that the total number of cases per year has risen by an average of six percent annually over the past ten years.
The disease can cause encephalitis and neurological complications. Vaccination is recommended in areas with high or moderate occurrence, including Sörmland, Uppsala, Värmland and Västmanland. Some regions offer free vaccines to children.
