RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia Department of Health is partnering with Walgreens to offer no-cost Hepatitis C testing at 10 pharmacies across the state.
The health department announced the development Thursday.
The testing offer comes as Virginia's opioid epidemic has contributed to an increasing number of Hepatitis C cases in the state. The health department says people who share needles when they inject drugs are most at risk for acquiring the virus.
Appointments are not necessary for the rapid testing, which will be done privately.
A Hepatitis C infection can range from a mild illness lasting for several weeks to a lifelong illness that severely damages the liver. A chronic infection can lead to serious problems such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
A list of participating pharmacies is available online.
