Worldwide, more than 170
million persons have hepatitis C virus
(HCV) infection.
Globally, an estimated 71
million people have chronic hepatitis C virus
infection- WHO
WHO estimated that in 2016, approximately 399 000 people died
from hepatitis C, mostly from cirrhosis and hepatocellular
carcinoma (primary liver cancer).
The Eastern Mediterranean
region and Europe have the highest prevalence (2.3%
and 1.5%, respectively)
The prevalence rates in healthy blood donors are 0.01%-0.02% in
the United Kingdom and northern Europe, 1%-1.5% in southern Europe,
and 6.5% in parts of equatorial Africa.
2% of the
US population has chronic HCV
infection.
1 cases per 100,000 population, > 40,000 new infections per year in the
US.
An estimated 2.4 million
people in the United States were living with hepatitis C during
2013–2016- CDC.