HEPATITIS C FEAR FOR NSW JAILS

ALMOST half all NSW prisoners are infected by hepatitis C, according
to a report released yesterday.

The State parliamentary standing committee on social issues said
hepatitis C was a neglected epidemic in the community, singling out
the level of infection in the State's jails as shocking and alarming.

"Studies have confirmed hepatitis C infection rates of between 40-60
per cent for male inmates and 70-80 per cent for female inmates," the
report said.

It said most prisoners contracted the disease through dirty needles
when using drugs intravenously or creating homemade tattoos.

The report said it would be naive to claim there was no drug use in
jails.

Checked-by: Rich O'Grady