HC Deb 03 March 2004 vol 418 cc1041-2W
Simon Hughes

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new cases of hepatitis C have been diagnosed among drug users in(a) London and (b) England in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [156561]

Miss Melanie Johnson

Laboratory reports of antibody to hepatitis C in London and England from 1999 to 2003, where injecting drug use is given as a risk factor, are shown in the table. The majority of cases of acute hepatitis C infection do not result in symptoms and therefore new infections are not usually identified. These laboratory reports do not distinguish between new and previous infections.

Laboratory reports of hepatitis C infection in London and England 1999–2003, where injecting drug use is given as a risk factor
1999 2000 2001 2002 20031
London 338 283 399 366 377
England 5,297 4,893 4,665 6,129
1Provisional data.
Source:
Health Protection Agency.
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