England is on course to become one of the first countries in the world to eliminate hepatitis C, with new figures showing significant progress in diagnosing and treating the potentially life-threatening liver disease.
The target of diagnosing and treating 80% of known hepatitis C cases has already been achieved, with more than 100,000 people diagnosed and treated since 2015. Deaths linked to the virus have also fallen by 36% over the past decade, bringing England closer to its 2030 elimination target.
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can be spread through contact with infected blood, including through sharing needles with someone carrying the virus. Donated blood in England is routinely screened for the infection.
The disease is often described as a “silent” infection because many people experience few or no symptoms until significant liver damage has developed. If left untreated, it can lead to severe and potentially life-threatening complications.
Treatment has also become highly effective, with antiviral tablets taken for eight to 12 weeks able to cure more than 95% of cases.
NHS England said several initiatives have helped identify people who previously did not know they had the virus. These include blood testing in emergency departments, testing during GP registration and free home-testing kits.
An estimated 50,200 adults were living with hepatitis C in England in 2024, with around 84.6% believed to have been diagnosed. This remains slightly below the 90% diagnosis target.
Another key goal is to reduce hepatitis C-related deaths by 65% compared with 2015 levels. Although England has not yet reached that milestone, health authorities believe it could be achieved before the 2030 deadline.
The Hepatitis C Trust said England was “on the cusp” of achieving one of the most significant public health milestones in the country’s history.
NHS national medical director Prof Frankie Swords said England was leading global efforts to eliminate the disease and remained on track to beat the World Health Organisation’s 2030 target.
He urged people who may be at higher risk to come forward and make use of free and confidential home-testing services.
Adults born in Ukraine, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Albania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Czechia and Slovakia have been particularly encouraged to test, as some may have contracted hepatitis C through medical or dental procedures before 1991.
People in England can order a free NHS home self-testing kit online without having to speak to their GP.
Among those who have already benefited from treatment is 65-year-old grandfather Paul Eatwell from Blackburn, Lancashire, who discovered he had hepatitis C through a routine blood test.
Eatwell said he was initially shocked by the diagnosis because he did not feel unwell and could not understand how he might have contracted the virus.
Although the exact source of his infection was never established, doctors suggested that surgery he underwent in South Africa several decades ago could have been a possible cause. He said the medical support he received after his diagnosis had made a significant difference.
