04/22/24 - 117 New Stories - REAL Environmental & Conservation Leadership In PA: http://tinyurl.com/9bh4zbtr
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Lyme Disease Bill Reported From Senate Committee
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The Senate Banking and Insurance Committee Wednesday reported out Senate Bill 210 (Greenleaf-R-Montgomery) to create a task force within the Department of Health to provide greater public awareness of and education about Lyme disease.
The task force would develop a public education program and coordinate its efforts with the Game Commission, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Department of Education to reach outdoorsman, visitors to state parks, and students.
The task force will investigate and make recommendations to the Health Department regarding surveillance and prevention of Lyme disease as well as development of a general public and health care professional information and education program.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted primarily by ticks. Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases pose a serious threat to the quality of life for Pennsylvanians, with Lyme disease cases increasing dramatically over the past several years.
In 2009, 38,468 cases of Lyme disease were reported to the Centers for Disease Control in the United States. According to CDC, these reported cases are underestimated 6 to 12 fold due to inherent flaws in its passive reporting system. From 2006 to 2009, the total reported cases of Lyme disease in the U.S. increased by 93 percent and in Pennsylvania by 76 percent, continuing a trend of increasing incidence across the country. As of 2009, Pennsylvania ranks first in the U.S. in reported cases of Lyme.
"Lyme disease has become a major issue across Pennsylvania, especially in the southeastern region of the state," said Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, prime sponsor of the bill. "With the rapid increase of Lyme disease, we must ramp up efforts to educate the public on how to prevent this disease while enjoying the outdoors."
The bill is now on the Senate Calendar for action.
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3/12/2012 |
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