 [ Symptoms ] how common is hepatitis c [ Disease ] the cdc estimates that 3 2 million people in the u s have chronic hepatitis c infection a long term illness that happens when the virus remains in a person is body most of those people do not know that they have it because they do not look or feel sick an estimated 19 000 people in the us have acute hepatitis c infection which is a short term illness that happens within six months of being exposed to the hepatitis c virus