Hepatitis C: international comparisons
The World Health Organisation estimates that 170 million people worldwide are infected with the hepatitis C virus (as shown in table below).
| WHO region | Total population (millions) | Hepatitis C prevalence rate (%) | Infected population (millions) | Number of countries where data not available |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 602 | 5.3 | 31.9 | 12 |
| Americas | 785 | 1.7 | 13.1 | 7 |
| Eastern Mediterranean | 466 | 4.6 | 21.3 | 5 |
| Europe | 858 | 1.03 | 8.9 | 19 |
| South East Asia | 1,500 | 2.15 | 32.3 | 3 |
| Western Pacific | 1,600 | 3.9 | 62.2 | 11 |
| Total | 5,811 | 3.1 | 169.7 | 57 |
Source: World Health Organisation (WHO). Hepatitis C - global prevalence (update). Weekly Epidemiological Record 10 December 1999
(194Kb);74:425-427.
sites