Credit: WHOWorld Health Organization news release
28 April 2026, Bangkok/Geneva | Global efforts to combat viral hepatitis are delivering measurable progress in reducing infections and deaths, but the disease remains a major global health challenge, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report released today at the World Hepatitis Summit.
Viral hepatitis B and C – the two infections responsible for 95% of hepatitis-related deaths worldwide – claimed 1.34 million lives in 2024, the latest data show. At the same time, transmission continues, with more than 4900 new infections every day, or 1.8 million each year.
Updated WHO estimates indicate that 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infection in 2024.
Of the 240 million people with chronic hepatitis B in 2024, fewer than 5% were receiving treatment. Only 20% of people with hepatitis C have been treated since 2015, when a new 12-week treatment with a cure rate of about 95% became available.
Access the full news release with all related materials here.
Visit the Global Hepatitis Report 2026 page.
Source : World Health Organization
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