England is on track to become one of the first countries to eliminate hepatitis C, NHS England figures show. The target of treating 80% of all known cases has already been met, and deaths from hepatitis C have fallen 36% in the last decade. More than 100,000 people have been diagnosed and treated since 2015, and taking antiviral tablets for 8 to 12 weeks can cure more than 95% of cases. Current estimates for 2024 put about 50,200 adults living with hepatitis C in England, with 84.6% of those infected diagnosed, short of the 90% diagnosis target. NHS England credits expanded testing in A&E, GP registration screening and free at-home kits for finding previously undiagnosed cases, and it is urging adults born in Ukraine, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Albania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Czechia or Slovakia to get tested. Prof Frankie Swords said England is leading the world on elimination and aims to reach the WHO 2030 targets, while the Hepatitis C Trust called the situation "on the cusp" of a major public health achievement.
