An estimated 50 million people worldwide are living with chronic HCV infection, with approximately 1 million new infections occurring annually. The disease burden varies across regions, with the Eastern Mediterranean Region bearing the highest prevalence of chronic HCV infection (12 million cases), followed by South-East Asia and Europe (9 million cases each)¹. In the European Union and European Economic Area (EU/EEA), 23.273 cases of HCV were reported in 2022, corresponding to a rate of 6,1 cases per 100.000 population². 

HCV is primarily transmitted through exposure to infected blood. Common routes include¹: 

• Sharing injection equipment among people who inject drugs (PWID). 

• Unsafe medical practices such as the reuse or inadequate sterilization of syringes and needles. 

• Transfusion of unscreened blood or blood products. 

• While less common, HCV can also be transmitted from mother to child during childbirth or through sexual practices involving blood exposure. 

Efforts to eliminate HCV as a public health threat focus on reducing incidence by 90% and mortality by 65% by 2030 compared to 2015 levels. Achieving these targets requires scaling up interventions such as harm reduction programs for PWID, expanding access to testing, and ensuring timely treatment. Surveillance systems also play a critical role in monitoring progress and informing strategies for prevention and control².