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.
These achievements reflect the impact of sustained, coordinated global and national action following the adoption of WHO viral hepatitis elimination targets by Member States at the World Health Assembly in 2016. However, the report warns that current rates of progress are insufficient to meet all 2030 elimination targets, underscoring the urgent need to accelerate prevention, testing, and treatment efforts worldwide.
Updated WHO estimates indicate that 287 million people were living with chronic hepatitis B or C infection in 2024.
A further 0.9 million hepatitis C infections were recorded in 2024. People who inject drugs accounted for 44% of new infections, highlighting the urgent need for stronger harm reduction services and safe injection practices.
As a result of limited access to prevention and care, in 2024 an estimated 1.1 million people died from hepatitis B and 240 000 from hepatitis C. Liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma were the main causes of hepatitis related deaths. A large share of hepatitis B-related deaths occurred in the African and Western Pacific Regions.
Proven solutions
Despite these challenges, progress in countries such as Egypt, Georgia, Rwanda, and the United Kingdom demonstrates that eliminating hepatitis as a public health problem is achievable with sustained commitment and investment.
hepatitis B vaccine protects more than 95% of vaccinated people against both acute and chronic infections;long-term antiviral treatment for hepatitis B can help effectively manage chronic infection and prevent severe liver disease; and hepatitis C short-course curative therapy lasting 8-12 weeks can cure more than 95% of infections.
“The data shows that progress is possible but also reveals where we are falling short. Every missed diagnosis and untreated infection due to chronic viral hepatitis represents a preventable death,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director, WHO Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections. “Countries must move faster to integrate hepatitis services for people living with hepatitis B and C into primary care, and to reach the communities most affected.”
It also calls for stronger political commitment and financing, improved coverage of hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination and expanded antiviral prophylaxis to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HBV infection, particularly in the WHO African Region. In addition, the report emphasizes the need to improve injection safety in both health-care settings and community practices, including through strengthened harm reduction services for people who inject drugs.
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