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June 16, 2025
Media contact: Timothy Heider, PHD.Communications@oha.oregon.gov
Oregon third worst for hepatitis C deaths in U.S., according to reports
PORTLAND, Ore.—As national data show Oregon’s hepatitis C rates are among the worst in the nation, state officials are emphasizing a need for increased community-based screenings and prevention and treatment services in the most affected populations.
According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people in Oregon are 2.7 times more likely than people who live in other U.S. states to die from hepatitis C--the leading cause of preventable death from reportable disease in Oregon.
The rate of hepatitis-caused deaths in Oregon is 6.76 per 100,000 population, compared with the nationwide average of 2.52 per 100,000.
That is the second-worst rate among U.S. states and ranks behind only Oklahoma and the District of Columbia, according to the CDC’s recently released 2023 Viral Hepatitis Surveillance Report and the 2025 Viral Hepatitis National Progress Report.
“Hepatitis C is common, causes serious illness and leads to a lot of hospitalizations and deaths. The good news is that we can now treat it and spare people a lot of suffering,” said Paul Cieslak, M.D., medical director for communicable diseases and immunizations at OHA’s Public Health Division.
“My hope is that public health can play the important role of linking people with hepatitis C to appropriate care,” he said.
Additional resources for bolstering community-based hepatitis C screening, prevention and treatment would be devoted to:
- Developing proven peer-supported services.
- Connecting those afflicted with hepatitis C to life-saving care.
- Training and assisting communities and health care partners in developing systems to eliminate hepatitis C within affected populations.
- Developing systems at the state and local levels to track progress from testing through cure.
The two CDC reports summarize hepatitis A, B and C surveillance and mortality data, which inform the nation’s viral hepatitis response and monitor progress toward national elimination goals.
Hepatitis is liver inflammation, most commonly caused by a virus. In the United States, the most common hepatitis viruses are A, B and C. Each produces similar symptoms, but only B and C can cause chronic (long-term) infection. Chronic hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and death.
Effective vaccines exist for hepatitis A and B; there is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C, but it can be cured with medication.
Analysis of CDC’s hepatitis C data for Oregon found that:
- People who use illicit drugs run the highest risk of hepatitis C infection.
- Hepatitis C is most common in people 20–29 years of age.
- Due to systemic challenges increasing risk factors, members of the Black, American Indian and Alaska Native populations are twice as likely to contract hepatitis C, compared with the state average.
In this video, Cieslak explains why hepatitis is a significant public health threat.
Hepatitis C used to be very difficult to treat, but it can now be cured with a short course of treatment. However, additional resources are needed for public health to increase community-based hepatitis C screening and linkage to prevention and treatment services in affected populations.
An Oregon Health & Science University study published in March 2025 showed that significant success in treating hepatitis C could be achieved in rural Oregon by using a combination of peer support services and telehealth. But these are not available statewide.
Peer support from people with lived experiences in drug use, shown to build trust and reduce barriers to care, and easy access to care using telemedicine led to a 63% cure rate compared to just 16% with enhanced usual care, the study found.
National goals for 2030 call for at least 80% of people with hepatitis C to be cured. Data from 2013–2022 show only 27% of Oregonians with hepatitis C have been cured, compared with a national average of 35%.
“We’d love to be able to implement peer support services and telehealth for hepatitis C systematically across the state,” Cieslak said.
OHA maintains a dashboard tracking reportable communicable diseases, including hepatitis.
Increasing awareness and education about primary prevention, public health risks and preventive health services are among actions OHA is taking as part of its 2024-2027 Strategic Plan.
The plan further supports expanding access to vaccines and other health resources for children, parents and families in all communities in Oregon.
To learn more about viral hepatitis in Oregon, visit OHA’s webpage.
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