This Sunday is World Hepatitis Day and although treatments have gotten better, it’s still a very serious affliction.

Last year, 270,000 British Columbians were tested for Hepatitis C, more than double the number from 2011.

Dr. Naveed Janjua, of the BC Centre For Disease Control says about seventy five percent of people with hep C don’t know they have it. “That is one of the major problems with hepatitis C, it’s a silent disease.”

“So, for ten of fifteen years people may not notice anything and then once the liver is damaged or some other complications, then you go and see your doctor for that complication and then you get tested and you find out you have hepatitis C but by that time it’s quite late.”

Dr Janjua says it’s not only drug users that are at risk, but people born in developing countries, baby boomers and former prisoners should get tested.