Among them is 65-year-old Paul Eatwell, from Blackburn, whose infection was discovered after routine liver function tests flagged an abnormality. Hepatitis C is spread through contact with infected blood and can cause serious liver damage if left untreated. However, NHS England says treatment with antiviral drugs for between eight and 12 weeks cures more than 95 per cent of cases. Deaths linked to hepatitis C have fallen by 36 per cent over the past decade, according to the NHS. Health officials are urging anyone who may be at risk of undiagnosed hepatitis C to order a free confidential home-testing kit.