Canada: Campaigns launched to promote awareness of and try to prevent Hep C infections in Guelph area

GUELPH—About 300,000 Canadians have potentially deadly Hepatitis C, including 100,000 in Ontario, but up to 50 per cent don't know they're harboring the harmful viral infection, area Hep C Dr. Chris Steingart told a Guelph audience Thursday.

The Sanguen Health Centre executive director said the infection from tainted blood from a variety of sources, which attacks the liver, can cause physical, mental and emotional injury, yet each year more people are infected than seek treatment. 

"The good news is we can do something about that," Steingart told audience members in the health care/harm reduction field at the launch of an information video and color-coded syringes program. He stressed the local availability of effective Hep C testing and treatment. 

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