The number of Hepatitis C cases in First Nation communities is on the rise.
There was a nine per cent increase in Hepatitis C cases in Saskatchewan in 2017, according to the province.
“The Hep C rates have gone up in Indigenous communities, that’s a very serious red flag because Hepatitis C is more infectious through injection drug use than HIV,” Deputy Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Denise Werker said.
Injection drug use is the primary risk factor in contracting the infection, as one dirty needle can infect several people, she said.
However, the number of newly diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases in Saskatchewan has seen a “slight decrease.”
In 2017, 177 people were newly diagnosed. In 2018, there were 162 new cases, according to Dr. Werker’s preliminary numbers.
There has also been an increase in the number of people getting tested for HIV/AIDS – which is good, but there is still room for improvement, she said.
The annual Canadian Association for HIV Research conference is happening in Saskatoon this weekend. More than 700 scientists, physicians, and community leaders from across the country are in the city to discuss the “paramount issues facing the global HIV/AIDS response,” according to a news release.
