Source: Public Health Wales
This is a report from Public Health Wales on progress towards hepatitis C elimination, with data up to the end of 2023. The annual report details a decline in Hepatitis C diagnoses, indicating progress towards the WHO goal of eliminating the virus by 2030. It states that Wales has met nine out of twenty WHO indicators, with efforts ongoing to achieve the remaining targets. Despite initial disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, BBV services for Hepatitis B and C have recovered and now exceed pre-pandemic levels, it notes.
Mortality rates for both Hepatitis B and C have decreased. However, the report also notes a slight increase in new chronic Hepatitis B diagnoses, from 249 cases in 2022 to 261 in 2023, along with a rise in acute cases. Males represent a significant proportion of new chronic infections despite being a smaller percentage of those screened.