Australia: Hepatitis rates in Canberra rise amid concerns over testing rates, treatments

The number of instances of hepatitis in the ACT is growing, and there are fears there may be more cases going undiagnosed due to the stigma surrounding the virus.

There was a 25 per cent increase in the number of people diagnosed with hepatitis C in the ACT last year, and a 5 per cent increase in hepatitis B cases.

The blood-borne virus causes inflammation of the liver, and can be spread through the sharing of drug-taking equipment, like unsterilised syringes or needles.

John Didlick from Hepatitis ACT said there are an estimated 8,000 people in the ACT living with viral hepatitis, including 4,000 with hepatitis C.

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