A $1.5 million Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant will pay for a partnership between the Department of Public Health and Lynn Community Health Center to treat and prevent latent tuberculosis. The three-year pilot program will focus on creating a comprehensive strategy against latent tuberculosis infection, the DPH announced Monday. The grant is the only one awarded in the country. Nearly 13 million people nationwide have latent tuberculosis and current clinical practice centers on treating the disease in its active state, according to the DPH, which said 5 to 10 percent of those with latent TB infection will develop the disease at some point in their lives. The partnership will focus on community engagement, reduction of stigmas, and education around testing and treatment, along with providing services to latent TB patients at the Lynn Community Health Center Learn more.