BOSTON, Mass. (WKRC) — The family of a man who died after contracting a tick-borne virus has a warning for others.

According to PEOPLE, 62-year-old Kevin Boyce of Boston, Massachusetts, collapsed in his home and was rushed to the hospital days after he was unknowingly bitten by a tick.

The bite, which occurred sometime in April 2024, resulted in Boyce experiencing headaches, vomiting and other flu-like symptoms that progressed rapidly, per the publication.

After arriving at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boyce was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and later diagnosed with Powassan virus.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, Powassan virus is "a rare illness that you can get from tick bites. It usually causes mild symptoms, but it can spread to your brain and cause severe illness (encephalitis)."

The clinic defines Encephalitis as "brain swelling that can lead to permanent neurological conditions, like memory issues and paralysis," adding that, in some cases, "it can be fatal."

Symptoms of the Powassan virus are as follows, per the clinic:

• Fever
• Headache
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Confusion or altered mental state
• Seizures
• Difficulty speaking
• Paralysis

The medical center added that common symptoms, such as fever and headache, may be experienced first, followed by more extreme symptoms, like confusion or seizures.

Citing Yale Medicine, PEOPLEreported that the number of Powassan virus cases has significantly increased over the past decade, adding that 10% of advanced cases are fatal.

"His brain had blown up so much, from the encephalitis, and he had really bad brain damage. It was horrifying, but we knew what Kevin would want, so you know, we just had to let him go," Erin Boyce, Kevin Boyce's sister, said when speaking to CBS News.

According to the network, Kevin Boyce passed away at the hospital just a few weeks after he arrived. Erin Boyce told CBS that the family is sharing their story in an effort to encourage others to stay educated on the matter and to be cautious.

"I miss talking to him, and I wish I could ski with him one more time," Erin Boyce told CBS.

Although there is no vaccine to prevent the virus or medicines to treat it, the National Institutes of Health advised taking the following precautions to avoid tick bites:

• Wear clothing that covers the arms and legs
• Tuck your pants into your socks
• Put tape around openings in your clothes
• Avoid dark clothing so that ticks are easier to spot
• Walk in the center of paths when hiking and avoid bushes and shrubs
• Use a chemical repellent with permethrin, picaridin or DEET

Citing the Massachusetts Department of Health, PEOPLEreported that it takes between a week and a month after a bite from an infected tick to develop symptoms of the Powassan virus.