Hepatitis C pop-up clinic at Whanganui Hospital on Wednesday, July 28

There will be an hepatitis C information stand and testing clinic at Whanganui Hospital's main entrance today. Photo / Bevan Conley

A pop-up information stand and Hepatitis C testing clinic will operate at Whanganui Hospital today, marking World Hepatitis Day.

Hepatitis C is a viral infection caused when infected blood enters the bloodstream. It can cause liver cancer and liver failure.

Known as "the silent epidemic", it infects around 1000 people in New Zealand each year, with about 200 dying from the virus.

An estimated 45,000 New Zealanders are living with hepatitis C. However, due to symptoms often not appearing for many years, half of them may be unaware they have it.

Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield describes it as "a major public health threat in New Zealand ... the leading cause of liver transplantation and the second leading cause of liver cancer".

At Whanganui Hospital, clinical nurse specialist Madelein Wetzels has set up an information stand at the main entrance and she will conduct hepatitis C blood tests there between 9am and 4.30pm today.

With a finger-prick test, she can tell in 10 minutes whether someone has the virus, and she is urging those at risk to get tested.

They include people who have ever injected drugs, received a tattoo or body piercing using unsterile equipment, received medical treatment in a high-risk country, had a blood transfusion before 1992, been in prison, or been born to a mother with hepatitis C.

"You may not have any symptoms and can live with hepatitis C for many years undetected until the liver is significantly damaged," Wetzels said.

"It is now time to find those people who don't know they may be infected.

"There often is a lot of stigma around hepatitis C because it has been linked to intravenous drug use and many people with it find it difficult to tell others that they carry it. Now is the time to start the conversation as we can now treat this disease successfully."

Highly effective treatment means that up to 98 per cent of people with the virus can be cured, but to achieve elimination everyone with the virus needs to be diagnosed.

"With an early diagnosis and new treatment, we can prevent hepatitis C-related illness and death. This disease can now be eliminated, but we need people to get tested."

As well as today's pop-up testing clinic, Wetzels said people could talk to their GP about a test, or chat about hepatitis C with the nurse at the Needle Exchange in Churton St.

The Needle Exchange is open 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and Saturday 11am to 3pm. The nurse will be there tomorrow [July 29] from 1pm to 4pm and then on alternate Thursdays.

"You can get a quick test there to see if you are positive and discuss the results and plan for treatment. If negative, you have the peace of mind to know you are clear."

World Hepatitis Day will also see the launch of a National Action Plan which focuses on awareness-raising, prevention, testing and treatment of hepatitis C.