The number of Hepatitis C cases detected in Chatham-Kent last year is well over the provincial average.
The CKPHU says it detected 527 cases of infectious disease in 2015.
While the majority were cases of Chlamydia (263), public health officials are concerned with the 70 Hepatitis C cases they found last year. That's more than double the provincial average of 30 (adjusted per 100,000 population).
The CKPHU increased testing definitely contributes to the jump in detection, but they do concede that the majority of cases stem from IV drug use.
"We are doing a lot of promotion around needle exchange as well as testing," says Infectious Disease Program Manager Stacey Rybanski. "As well as accessibility to testing, we've had some outside agencies helping with that."
It's the public health unit's role to perform testing and point patients in the right direction to get treatment. However, the newest Hepatitis C treatment plan costs up to $60,000.
"Housing is a huge issue, so for many of the people who are at risk of Hep C or who have Hep C, [treatment] isn't a priority," says Public Health Nurse Debbie Maine. "It's a very slow-progressing infection, so if they're not symptomatic or if they feel fine, that's not something they're worried about."
Influenza, despite having an available immunization, was also a major infectious disease detected last year, with 95 cases. Gonorrhea cases in Chatham-Kent sat slightly below the provincial average last year, and continue to drop.
