England is “on the cusp” of becoming one of the first countries in the world to eliminate hepatitis C, health officials have said.
Initiatives including A&E blood tests, GP registration testing and free at-home tests have helped to find people who were previously undiagnosed.
Global health leaders have set out plans to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030.
NHS England said the nation is one of a handful of countries globally to have already exceeded the World Health Organisation benchmark of treating 80% of all known cases.
It said that deaths from the virus have reduced by 36% in the last 10 years.
Hepatitis C is spread through contact with blood infected with the virus.
Many people have no symptoms, but if it is not treated, it can cause serious, and potentially life-threatening, liver damage.
A treatment course of antiviral drugs for eight to 12 weeks cures more than 95% of cases.
Since 2015, more than 100,000 people have been diagnosed and treated for hepatitis C, often referred to as “hep C”, according to NHS England.
NHS national medical director Professor Frankie Swords said: “Hepatitis C can cause serious harm, including liver failure and cancer, yet many people live with it for years without knowing or having any symptoms at all until it’s too late.”
“That’s why the NHS has worked hard alongside public health teams and charities to find and treat hidden cases, and it’s really encouraging that over 100,000 people have now received potentially life-saving treatment in just a decade.
“England is now leading the world in the mission to eliminate this disease and on course to beat the WHO’s 2030 target, but we are determined to keep up the momentum and finish the job.
“With hepatitis C curable in more than nine out of 10 cases, we are committed to finding and treating everyone who needs support and would urge those at greater risk to come forward by ordering a free and confidential home-testing kit online.”
Chief executive of The Hepatitis C Trust, Rachel Halford, said: “We are on the cusp of one of the most significant public health achievements in our country’s history. To sustain this momentum, continued commitment and long-term investment are essential.”
Health officials have urged people at risk of undiagnosed hepatitis C – including people who have had a tattoo abroad, people who have moved to England from certain eastern European countries or those who use or have previously used injectable drugs – to order a confidential home-testing kit.
Adults born in Ukraine, Romania, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Albania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Czechia or Slovakia are particularly urged to test, as many could have been potentially infected through medical or dental procedures before 1991.
Paul Eatwell, 65, tested positive for the virus after routine liver function tests flagged an abnormality.
“My first reaction was disbelief. I remember saying: ‘Are you sure? Surely there’s been some mistake’,” said the grandfather from Blackburn, Lancashire.
“I didn’t feel ill. I kept wondering how I could possibly have caught it. The support from the specialist team made a huge difference.
“Their message was simple: ‘Don’t spend your time worrying about how you got it – focus on getting rid of it’.”
While it has not been established how Mr Eatwell caught the virus, it has been suggested that surgery in South Africa decades ago is a potential risk factor.
He added: “If you think you may be at risk, why wouldn’t you have the test? It gives you peace of mind.
“Treatment today isn’t life-changing in the way people might imagine – it’s one tablet a day for 12 weeks and a few blood tests.
“The alternative is to ignore it, potentially develop serious liver disease, or unknowingly pass the virus on to someone else.”
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “We are leading the world in wiping out this disease for good.
“This is exactly the kind of preventative, forward-looking healthcare that we want the NHS to deliver across the board – catching illness earlier, easing pressure on hospitals, and giving people the chance to live longer, healthier lives.”
Dr Sema Mandal, from the UK Health Security Agency, said: “We are making significant progress towards eliminating hepatitis C as a public health threat.
“The sharp fall in cases since 2015 shows the impact of expanded testing and sustained access to modern curative treatments, and the commitment of health services and community partners across England.
“Treating over 100,000 people in just 10 years is a remarkable achievement and brings England closer than ever to becoming one of the first countries in the world to eliminate this disease as a public health threat.”
It comes just after the closure of the Infected Blood Inquiry, which examined what has been dubbed the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.
The inquiry concluded the scandal “could largely have been avoided” and there was a “pervasive” cover-up to hide the truth.
More than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after they were given contaminated blood and blood products between the 1970s and early 1990s.
More than 3,000 people have died as a result while survivors are living with lifelong health implications.
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