Councillor calls for local Lyme disease testing facility

A Kerry councillor is calling for a local testing facility for Lyme disease.

Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Cahill says the current testing for the disease takes place in Germany, which is time consuming and expensive for people with suspected cases.

Cllr Cahill says while Lyme disease is rare in Ireland, the large deer population in Kerry means cases are more frequent here, as they can carry the ticks which spread the disease.

He adds there should be a dedicated Lyme disease unit at University Hospital Kerry.

The Fianna Fáil councillor says a dedicated unit locally would be a major advantage because time is of the essence in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.