BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health will provide free hepatitis C testing Tuesday as part of Hepatitis Awareness Month.
The clinic says tests results are available in twenty minutes and is recommending that individuals interested in getting tested schedule an appointment.
Hepatitis C is a viral infection that can cause serious liver damage or even death. It's primarily transmitted by blood-to-blood contact.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all people born between 1945 and 1965 get tested for hepatitis C.
Many people are unaware that they carry the virus, which hits more than 3 million Americans and has become a public health concern because it can be spread through sex or by drug users sharing needles.