Hepatitis C on the rise in the Northland; concerns focused on baby boomers and people younger than 30

Eight doesn’t seem like a lot, but eight cases of hepatitis C virus in Duluth caught the attention of state health officials.

“Duluth actually is an area we’ve been looking at for a little while,” said Kristin Sweet, hepatitis unit supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Health.

Nationwide, officials have noticed a rise in the potentially dangerous, chronic liver disease. The focus is on two groups: baby boomers, some of whom may have had the virus for years without knowing it; and people younger than 30, a group whose size seems to be increasing along with the recent increase in heroin use.

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