STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Island has seen the number of Lyme disease cases skyrocket.
According to data from the CDC, Staten Island and Brooklyn had a combined total of 115 reported Lyme disease cases from 2000 to 2003. That number grew to 1,541 reported cases between 2013 and 2016.
In response, Rep. Dan Donovan announced recently that he has joined the Congressional Lyme Disease Caucus.
Donovan said he decided to join the caucus after numerous meetings and conversations with Staten Island resident and local Lyme disease advocate Bob Sabatino.
The bipartisan caucus, chaired by Rep. Chris Smith (R-New Jersey) and Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minnesota), works on putting together policies to improve research, treatment, and awareness of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases. The caucus has been successful advocating for Lyme research funding and also actively works with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to tackle the issue.
Over the summer, the city's Department of Health department announced it had expanded its tick surveillance efforts from seven to 21 sites citywide, with an additional 11 sites on Staten Island alone.
In 2016, the department said there were 946 confirmed cases of Lyme disease in New York City.
The rise is thought to be tied to a borough's booming deer population.
"Tick-borne diseases are only getting worse in our community. The medical field has a lot of work to do, but they need lawmakers to deliver the required resources and right policies," Donovan said in a prepared statement. "I thank Bob Sabatino for working with me so diligently, and I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues in the Lyme disease caucus to deliver solutions to this growing health crisis."
Sabatino, also the founder of Lyme Society, Inc, applauded the congressman's decsion to join the Lyme Disease Caucus and his efforts in passing the 21st Century Cures Act, which helped create the Tick-Borne Disease Working Group.
"We look forward to seeing more strides being made in the coming years," Sabatino stated.
Back in August, Donovan and Assemblyman Ron Castorina called attention to the number of tick-borne diseases that they said were traceable to a South Shore park.
Donovan has also cosponsored legislation creating a pilot program at the CDC to establish a tick identification initiative.