Two significant public health data points emerged in spring 2026 that deserve attention as summer begins. One is a surveillance signal: emergency department visits for tick bites rose 25 percent in April 2026 compared to the same month last year, an early indicator of what may be a record tick-borne disease season. The other is a long-term clinical finding: a 23-year randomized trial of 100,000 adults confirmed that a single sigmoidoscopy provides lasting protection against colorectal cancer in men for more than two decades.
Both findings carry immediate practical implications for summer health decisions.
