PENNSYLVANIA, March 17 - (3) From 2010 to 2019, there have been more than 66,144

confirmed Lyme disease cases in this Commonwealth, but due to

the fact that the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention's number only represents confirmed cases, the

estimated number of Lyme disease cases are 661,440 based on

the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 10 times

multiplier of actual cases. Therefore, with more than

12,960,000 Pennsylvanians in 2019, an estimated 5.1% of

Pennsylvanians contracted Lyme disease in the same 10 years.

(4) In July 2021, the Department of Environmental

Protection, the Department of Conservation and Natural

Resources and the Physician General discussed the high

incidence in this Commonwealth resulting in high prevalence

of ticks and confirmed a high risk of Lyme disease in every

county of this Commonwealth. The Department of Environmental

Protection collected two times more blacklegged tick nymphs

in 2021 compared to 2020 and stated that infected blacklegged

ticks are present in all 67 counties in this Commonwealth.

(5) According to the Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention, Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne

disease in the United States.

(6) The early clinical diagnosis and appropriate

treatment of these related tick-borne illnesses can greatly

reduce the risks of continued, diverse and chronic symptoms

that can affect every system and organ of the human body and

often every aspect of an individual's life.

(7) Between 10% to 40% of Lyme disease patients may go

on to suffer from complex, chronic/persistent conditions

which may be more difficult to treat.

(8) There are multiple diagnostic and treatment

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