>>> NOW TO A WARNING FROM OFFICIALS AFTER A CONFIRMED CASE OF POWASSEN VIRUS WAS DETECTED IN SHARON. SIMILAR TO LYME DISEASE. IT IS TRANSMITTED THROUGH INFECTED TICKS. >> AND THE DISEASE IS CONSIDERED RARE. BUT AS WBZ'S MIKE SULLIVAN SHOWS US, TICKS WILL BE A PROBLEM HERE ON OUT. >> THE TICKS START TO TUMBLE OUT. >> Reporter: THIS YEAR WORSE THAN LAST. >> SO FAR, WE HAVE RECEIVED THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF TICKS IN THE PAST. >> IN PAST WINTERS, THEY MAY RECEIVE 50 TICK SUBMISSIONS. NOW, THEY GET 800. >> ACTIVITY NOW, IT IS YEAR ROUND ACTIVITY. >> Reporter: THE WARMER WINTER HAS MORE SPECIES OF TICKS HEADED OUR WAY. HE SAYS THEY ARE BOTH FIVE IN TOTAL, EACH WITH THEIR OWN LIST OF ILLNESSES. >> PEOPLE ARE AT GREATER RISK OF BEING EXPOSED TO TICK BORN DISEASES. >> Reporter: THE NEWEST ILLNESS IS CALLED POWASSEN. IT IS MARKED BY SYMPTOMS OF FEVER, HEADACHE, VOMITING. SEVERE CASES CAN CAUSE INFECTION OF THE BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD. >> AND THOSE WHO CONTRACT THE DISEASE AND END UP RECEIVING TREATMENT IN HOSPITALS, NEARLY 40% OF THEM SUCCUMB TO THE DISEASE. AND THE REST OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO SURVIVE THE VIRUS, THEY MAY SUFFER LONG TERM NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS. >> Reporter: DR. MOLAEI SAYS THE VIRUS CAN TRANSFIT IF THE TICK BITES ARE 15 MINUTE TO A HALF HOUR. LYME DISEASE CAN TAKE 24 TO 36 HOURS TO TRANSMIT. ALL OF THIS CAN SOUND SCARY AND DAUNTING SO HOW DO YOU KEEP YOURSELF PROTECTED IN THE WOODS? FOR ONE, TUCK YOUR PANT LEG RIGHT INTO THE SOCKS. YOU