State Sen. Patty Ritchie of Heuvelton, chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has been named to the Senate Task Force on Lyme and Tick-Borne Diseases, a group which aims to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and other related illnesses.

“In recent years, the region I represent has seen a sharp spike in the number of cases of Lyme disease,” said Ritchie, whose 48th District includes the western half of St. Lawrence County including Ogdensburg, Canton and Gouverneur.

“I've heard from a number of constituents that something more needs to be done to fight back against this potentially deadly disease and I'm pleased to have a role on the Task Force, which will allow me to be involved as we work to better protect the health of people in our local communities and across the state.”

A potentially debilitating and life-threatening illness, it's estimated by the state Department of Health that more than 95,000 cases of Lyme have been confirmed in New York State since 1986. While the disease has been reported in every part of the state, , cases of Lyme have jumped significantly in recent years, from 8 in 1993 to more than 300 in 2013.

Since 2013, the task force has worked on legislation for additional resources to address the spread of Lyme in the state.

In 2015, the group will seek to build upon funding secured last year and continue to work to identify issues related to the prevention, detection and treatment of tick-borne illnesses, Ritchie said.