Austria Highlights Hepatitis Death Toll on World Hepatitis Day

Health officials in Austria used World Hepatitis Day to stress that a person dies from chronic viral hepatitis every 30 seconds, with more than 1.3 million deaths each year worldwide and an estimated 287 million people living with the infection. In Austria, 25‑30 % of the population suffers from fatty‑liver disease, and experts warned that many infections remain undiagnosed.

Markus Peck‑Radosavljevic of Klinikum Klagenfurt and gastroenterology society chair Angelika Widhalm said that effective tests, affordable treatments and vaccines exist, but a national hepatitis‑action plan and organized screening programs are still missing in Austria. They called for broader public awareness and systematic testing to move toward the global goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030.