Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 491

FORMERLY

SENATE BILL NO. 622

AN ACT TO AMEND PART H, TITLE 16, DELAWARE CODE BY ADDING A NEW CHAPTER TO BE DESIGNATED AS CHAPTER 6, TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR THE OPERATION OF A PROGRAM TO DETECT AND TREAT STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTIONS; AND TO PROVIDE A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Delaware:

WHEREAS, the Delaware Heart Association has, as a demonstration project since 1962, financed through the infectious Disease Laboratory of the Wilmington Medical Center, a program for the early detection and treatment of "strep throat" (beta hemolytic streptococci), which is the cause of rheumatic fever and subsequent rheumatic heart disease; and

WHEREAS, rheumatic heart disease is the only type of heart disease which is clearly preventable through early detection; and

WHEREAS, during 1974-75, 61,431 Delawareans were suspected of having strep throat and through this program, 6,937 actually were found to carry the strep organism, who, when treated, were no longer carriers of this infectious disease and thus preventing untold additional numbers of Delawareans from contracting this disease; and

WHEREAS, the incidence of this disease is highest in the school age population (5-15); and

WHEREAS, the Strep Detection Program is now available through any physician in the State and through school nurses in Kent and Sussex County school systems; and

WHEREAS, to protect the health of the citizens of Delaware and to avoid unnecessary incidences of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease, it is in the best interests of the citizens of Delaware to enact legislation providing for the continuation and expansion of this program.

NOW, THEREFORE:

Section 1. Amend Part II, Title 16 of the

Delaware Code by adding a new Chapter to be designated as Chapter 6, to read as follows:

"CHAPTER 6. STREPTOCOCCAL DETECTION PROGRAM

§601. Enumeration of Streptococcal Infections.

Streptococcal infections are declared to be contagious, infectious, communicable and dangerous to the public health.

§602. General Powers: Detection and Control.

The Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services shall make such rules and regulations as in his judgment are necessary for providing for the detection of the disease and for the care, control, and treatment of persons infected therewith, as he from time to time deems advisable.

§603. Infectious Disease Laboratory; Operation of the Program.

The Secretary may operate the program through the Infectious Disease Laboratory of the Wilmington Medical Center and shall make it available to the general public through cooperating physicians and public school systems in the State."

"Section 2. Appropriations.

The sum of $15,000 is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Health and Social Services to be expended for the implementation of this Act for fiscal year 1976. This appropriation shall be considered as a supplementary appropriation and shall be paid by the State Treasurer from funds not otherwise appropriated. Any funds not expended as of June 30, 1976 shall revert to the General Fund."

Approved June 25, 1976