By Maxey H.R. No. 189 76R6019 MDM-D R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, The National Institutes of Health has declared 1-2 chronic viral hepatitis to be a major public health care issue; and 1-3 WHEREAS, At the present time, chronic viral hepatitis infects 1-4 4,500,000 Americans; each year, 150,000 new cases of chronic viral 1-5 hepatitis occur in the United States; and 1-6 WHEREAS, The cause of 8,000 to 10,000 preventable deaths a 1-7 year in the United States, the hepatitis C virus costs the nation 1-8 more than $7 million per 100,000 patients because people infected 1-9 with the virus experience few symptoms until the virus causes 1-10 irreversible liver damage; and 1-11 WHEREAS, Eighty-five percent of all Americans infected with 1-12 the hepatitis C virus become chronically infected and develop 1-13 cirrhosis and liver cancer, and in more than 40 percent of infected 1-14 patients, it is unknown how the virus was transmitted; and 1-15 WHEREAS, There is a United States Food and Drug 1-16 Administration approved treatment for the hepatitis C virus, and 1-17 educating Americans more fully about this disease will undoubtedly 1-18 help to prevent its spread; now, therefore, be it 1-19 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 76th Texas 1-20 Legislature hereby recognize March 22-28, 1999, as Hepatitis 1-21 Awareness Week; and, be it further 1-22 RESOLVED, That all Texans be encouraged to observe this 1-23 occasion by learning more about the prevention and treatment of the 1-24 hepatitis C virus.