Hepatitis C in Canada: 2019 surveillance data
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Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada
Published: 2021-07-14
Hepatitis C:
- In 2019, there were 11,441 hepatitis C cases reported for a rate of 30.4 per 100,000 people. Of these, there were:
- 2,980 chronic cases for a rate of 27.3 per 100,000 people
- 356 acuteFootnote 1 cases for a rate of 1.8 per 100,000 people
- 8,105 unspecified cases for a rate of 24.9 per 100,0000 people
- From 2015 to 2018, the total reported cases of hepatitis C increased
- From 2018 to 2019, the total reported cases decreased by 10%
Hepatitis C by sex and age groups
- In 2019, 61% of reported hepatitis C cases were male
- In 2019, the rate of hepatitis C among males was 37.4 per 100,000 males and among females was 23.2 per 100,000 females
- In 2019, among males, those aged 25 to 39 had the highest rates of hepatitis C
- In 2019, among females, those aged 25 to 39 had the highest rates of hepatitis C
- From 2015 to 2019, total hepatitis C rates were consistently higher for males than females
- From 2015 to 2018, among males, the rate of hepatitis C increased
- From 2018 to 2019, among males, the rate of hepatitis C decreased by 10%
- From 2015 to 2018, among females, the rate of hepatitis C increased
- From 2018 to 2019, among females, the rate of hepatitis C decreased by 11%
Rate of total hepatitis C by province and territory
From 2018 to 2019, total hepatitis C rates declined in nine provinces and territories. This decline ranged from -4% to -40%.
- In Nova Scotia, between 2018 and 2019, hepatitis C rates remained stable
- In Prince Edward Island, between 2018 and 2019, hepatitis C rates increased by 15%
- Rate changes were not reported for the Northwest Territories or Nunavut since there were five or fewer hepatitis C cases reported in 2019
In 2019, the national rate of total hepatitis C was 30.4 per 100,000 people. Provinces and territories that had rates of total hepatitis C above the national rate included:
- Manitoba (55.6 per 100,000 people)
- Saskatchewan (52.5 per 100,000 people)
- Newfoundland and Labrador (42.8 per 100,0000 people)
- British Columbia (37.7 per 100,000 people)
- Nova Scotia (36.1 per 100,000 people)
- Yukon (33.8 per 100,000 people)
- Ontario (33.2 per 100,000 people)
- Prince Edward Island (33.1 per 100,000 people)
- New Brunswick (32.7 per 100,000 people)
In 2019, in Alberta, the rate of total hepatitis C was 30.4 per 100,000 people. This matched the national rate of total hepatitis C.
In 2019, provinces and territories with rates of total hepatitis C below the national rate of 30.4 per 100,000 people included:
- Quebec (12.8 per 100,000 people)
- Northwest Territories (11.1 per 100,000 people)
- Nunavut (5.2 per 100,000 people)
Appendix A: Data tables corresponding to hepatitis C figures
| Hepatitis C infection status | Number of cases | Rate per 100,000 population |
|---|---|---|
| Total | 11,441 | 30.4 |
| Chronic | 2,980 | 27.3 |
| AcuteTable 1 Footnote * | 356 | 1.8 |
| Unspecified | 8,105 | 24.9 |
|
||
| Year | Total rate per 100,000 population | Male rate per 100,000 population | Female rate per 100,000 population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 30.6 | 38.2 | 22.7 |
| 2016 | 31.4 | 39.5 | 23.3 |
| 2017 | 32.4 | 39.8 | 24.8 |
| 2018 | 33.9 | 41.6 | 26.0 |
| 2019 | 30.4 | 37.4 | 23.2 |
| Jurisdiction | Rate per 100,000 population |
|---|---|
| Canada | 30.4 |
| British Columbia | 37.7 |
| Alberta | 30.4 |
| Saskatchewan | 52.5 |
| Manitoba | 55.6 |
| Ontario | 33.2 |
| Quebec | 12.8 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 42.8 |
| Prince Edward Island | 33.1 |
| Nova Scotia | 36.1 |
| New Brunswick | 32.7 |
| Yukon | 33.8 |
| Northwest Territories | 11.1 |
| Nunavut | 5.2 |
Footnote
- Footnote 1
-
Acute hepatitis C status was not reported by New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Saskatchewan.