The UK P&I Club has urged seafarers to take precautions to avoid contracting hepatitis B, the “silent epidemic.”
The insurer said the disease was the number one reason for crew failing pre-employment medical tests.
It added the illness is easily preventable by vaccination and safe health practice, but it still kills more people worldwide than HIV/AIDS.
A total of 9.6% of all unfit crew were found to have the disease.
It
