People living with Hepatitis C (HCV) in Canada, 2019

New Hepatitis C Infections

• Every 24 hours, 26 people get hepatitis C
• Between 2010 and 2019 (before the pandemic), new infections were slowly declining
• There were an estimated 9,500 new hepatitis C infections^Footnote 1

Past or Current Hepatitis C

• As of 2019, an estimated 388,000 people in Canada ever had hepatitis C^Footnote 2
• This represents about 1% of the population. Of these:
  • 1 in 4 were not aware of their current or past infection and could benefit from testing
• Hepatitis C disproportionately affects certain populations and communities. The proportions of people ever infected with hepatitis C were^Footnote 3:
  • 45% (175K/390K): People who inject drugs
  • 11% (4K/38K): People who are incarcerated
  • 7% (134K/1.8M): Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Métis)
  • 4% (24K/641K): Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men
  • 2% (178K/12M): Immigrant population
  • 2% (242K/14M): The 1945-1975 birth cohort: adults 45-74 years

Chronic Hepatitis C

• An estimated 204,000 people in Canada were living with chronic hepatitis C in 2019^Footnote 4
• 1 in 2 people ever infected develop chronic hepatitis C for which treatment is available
• People living with chronic hepatitis C among certain populations and communities:
  • 1 in 4 People who inject drugs
  • 1 in 30 People who are incarcerated
  • 1 in 30 Indigenous peoples
  • 1 in 90 Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men
  • 1 in 115 Adults born between 1945-1975

Hepatitis C Treatment

• Since the introduction of highly effective (≥ 90% cure rate) treatment in Canada in 2014, an estimated 74,500 people with chronic hepatitis C were treated^Footnote 5
• Between 2017-2019, it is estimated that more people have been treated than there were new infections
• Since 2012, More than 60% of treatments occurred between 2017-2019