WHO Global Hepatitis Report 2024; Hepatitis is 2nd Leading Infectious cause of Death

Current Context: The World Health Organization (WHO) 2024 Global Hepatitis Report, released on 9th April 2024, reveals that viral hepatitis is the second leading infectious cause of death globally, causing 1.3 million deaths per year.

• The number of deaths increased from 1.1 million in 2019 to 1.3 million in 2022, with 83% caused by hepatitis B and 17% by hepatitis C.
• The report estimates that 254 million people live with hepatitis B and 50 million with hepatitis C in 2022, with half the burden among people aged 30–54 years old.
• In 2022, there were 2.2 million new infections, including 1.2 million new hepatitis B infections and nearly 1 million new hepatitis C infections.
• Despite progress in preventing hepatitis infections, deaths are rising due to low diagnosis and treatment rates.
• The report aims to guide global efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.

Question:

Q.1 What is the second leading infectious cause of death globally according to the WHO 2024 Global Hepatitis Report?
a. HIV/AIDS
b. Tuberculosis
c. Viral Hepatitis
d. Malaria