KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) and the Kansas Department of Agriculture (KDA) are alerting the public to the first known occurrence of the Asian longhorned tick (ALHT) in Kansas.

KDHE said it identified the tick after it was found on a dog in Franklin County last week.

The health department said it's an exotic, invasive tick species that was first identified in the United States in 2017. Since then, it has spread westward across the U.S.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the tick has now been documented in 21 states, with Kansas being the most recent.

"We have been monitoring the spread of the Asian longhorned tick, especially since it was confirmed in neighboring states," Animal Health Commissioner Dr. Justin Smith said.

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