New data from NHS England has revealed England is on track to becoming one of the first countries around the world to eliminate hepatitis C from its population. The nation had previously set goals to treat 90% of all known cases of the disease by 2030, all while reducing the mortality rate by 65% by the same time period too, and as it stands, the treatment goal has nearly been overcome, while the death rate has dropped by 36% so far, with a potential for this to continue dropping at a staggering rate thanks to modern medicine.
As per BBC News, a treatment currently exists that is able to cure around 95% of cases by simply seeing those who have been afflicted taking antiviral tablets for around eight to 12 weeks.
The data claims the current treatment rate is 84.6%, compared to figures gathered in 2015, which makes the 90% goal very reachable. And likewise, if confirmed cases are being treated considerably more effectively, the mortality rate should continue to plummet, suggesting hitting 65% of the deaths set in 2015 is also plausible.
According to NHS national medical director, Professor Frankie Swords, "England is now leading the world in the mission to eliminate this disease", with plans to "keep up the momentum and finish the job."
