Czech Republic records highest hepatitis C diagnoses in first half of 2024

In the Jan‑June 2024 period Czech health authorities recorded 952 newly diagnosed hepatitis C infections, the most in a decade. This surpasses 711 cases in the same period last year and follows a peak of 136 diagnoses in Prague in 2023.

Experts attribute the rise partly to increased screening after public‑awareness campaigns. Many patients are asymptomatic and discover the infection incidentally, as illustrated by 34‑year‑old Hana, who was preparing for varicose‑vein surgery when pre‑operative tests revealed hepatitis C. She said, “I was shocked because I had no idea what it meant.”

Hepatitis C spreads through blood, not casual contact. While injection‑drug use remains a key risk, transmission can also occur via unsafe tattooing, piercing, mother‑to‑child during birth, or sexual contact (about 5 % of cases). The State Health Institute notes that modern antiviral regimens now cure the infection in most patients with a simple daily pill.

Health officials stress the importance of testing, especially for individuals with past exposure risks, to prevent long‑term liver damage.