CHICAGO, IL (WSIL) -- The state of Illinois is looking to eliminate virus hepatitis across the state.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) launched a coalition in an effort to eliminate hepatitis. This coming after the Illinois Hepatitis Coalition held their first meeting with key stakeholders, including clinicians, academic researchers and partners throughout the community.
The goal is to formulate an equity-driven strategy plan to end the hepatitis epidemic in the state of Illinois.
The work of the coalition is being funded by a federal grant of $1.5 million.
鈥淭he number of people in Illinois and across the nation living with hepatitis B and C is continuing to rise,鈥� said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. 鈥淭he stubborn persistence of these preventable liver diseases demands that we bring together dedicated thought leaders and community partners to reverse these trends and put Illinois on a course to eliminate new cases of these diseases.鈥�
In a recent release through the state of Illinois, they state recent data has indicated hepatitis B and C cases have continued to rise in the state.
In 2020, the data showed a total of 388 confirmed cases of hepatitis B and 2,873 confirmed cases of hepatitis C, however many people with these diseases remain undiagnosed, the release stated.
They also stated findings in the 2020 system as there was an increase in the Hepatitis C rate in Illinois from 1.2/per 100,000 population in 2019 to 1.6/per 100,000 in 2020, which was above the U.S average. Hepatitis B rates in Illinois have fluctuated over the last 5 years but remain below the national average in 2020.
Viral hepatitis is the leading cause of liver cancer and the most common reason for liver transplantation. An estimated 4.4 million Americans are living with chronic hepatitis, the release said.
The disease affects the entire population, but certain populations are at higher risk of certain types of hepatitis, including those who engage in intravenous drug use or children born to such individuals.
For more information about IDPH鈥檚 hepatitis prevention and treatment efforts, you can find that .
