Tick-borne encephalitis: what you need to know about TBE as first case found in UK

Health officials are warning the public to brush up on their tick bite prevention knowledge, after the first human case of a potentially deadly virus carried by the parasitic arachnids was confirmed in the UK.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed on Wednesday (5 April) that the first domestically-acquired case of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) has been identified in a man bitten by ticks in the Yorkshire area, as well as another probable case in Scotland.

They stress that although the risk to the public is low, it is important for people to protect themselves from being bitten by the tiny insects - which can also transmit the much more common Lyme disease.

With the UKHSA now warning the virus is "likely" to be present in ticks across the UK, here is everything you need to know.