Free hepatitis C blood screenings are being offered on Thursday -- America's 5th annual National Hepatitis Testing Day.
"Hepatitis represents a serious and growing public health threat," said Nancy Steinfurth, executive director of Liver Health Connection, a Colorado patient advocacy organization. "As many as 17,000 hepatitis C (HCV) related deaths occur annually in the United States.
The fast-response test requires a quick finger prick and results are returned in 20 minutes.
In Colorado, an estimated 70,000 people have HCV, according to the Liver Health Connection.
"While no vaccine has been approved for HCV, new treatments can cure the virus in more than 95 percent of patients," officials said.
Test sites in Colorado:
- Liver Health Connection, Webb Municipal Building - Atrium, 201 W. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Denver Indian Health and Family Service, 1633 Fillmore Street, Denver, CO; 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Boulder County AIDS Project (BCAP), 2118 14th Street, Boulder, CO; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Southern Colorado Health Network, 1301 South 8th St, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO; 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Appointment only - Call 719-578-9092 to make an appointment
- Western Colorado AIDS Project, 805 Main St - rear entrance, Grand Junction, CO; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; 970-243-2437
- Northern Colorado AIDS Project (NCAP), Sister Mary Alice Murphy Center for Hope, 242 Conifer St., Fort Collins, CO; 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
- Boulder County Public Health (Offering two sites) 3482 N. Broadway, Boulder, CO; 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Appointment only - Call 303-413-7500 to make an appointment and 515 Coffman, Suite 200, Longmont, CO; 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Appointment only - Call 303-678-6166 to make an appointment
- Denver County AIDS Project (DCAP), 2490 W. 26th Ave, #300A, Denver, CO; 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- HeyDenver, 1720 Pearl Street, Denver, CO; 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Jefferson County Public Health Clinic, 645 Parfet Street, Lakewood, CO; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; 303-239-7078
- Tri-County Health Department - Park Centre Office, 1401 W. 122nd Ave., Westminster, CO; 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
