Viral hepatitis

Inflammation of the liver caused by a virus.

Is viral hepatitis worse than usual anywhere?

Too little to compare in any country this week.

Sri Lanka – Too few cases to compare

What is viral hepatitis?

Swelling of the liver caused by a virus. There are five main types, hepatitis A, B, C, D and E.

Signs: Often mild or none. Some people get fever, tiredness, poor appetite, sickness, belly pain, dark urine and yellow skin or eyes.
How it spreads: A and E spread through dirty food or water. B and C spread through blood, unsafe injections and sex, and B from mother to baby.
How to protect yourself: Get the hepatitis B vaccine, with a first dose right after birth. Vaccines also exist for A and E. Use safe water, clean needles and condoms.
Get medical help: See a health worker for yellow skin or eyes or dark urine. Hepatitis B and C can quietly damage the liver for years; get tested and treated.

In Dooram's words, from the World Health Organization. Source: Hepatitis (WHO health topic), read 8 October 2026. General information, not medical advice.

When does viral hepatitis usually peak?

Sri LankaTwice a year: most often around August and September (7 of 13 years), and around January and February (4).

What "usual" means.

Sources. Epidemiology Unit, Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka, weekly report.