As if the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic weren't enough, the CDC now wants virtually all American adults to be screened for hepatitis C.<br />According to UPI, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cites data that shows the number of cases nationally has tripled since 2009.<br />The agency estimates more than 50,000 Americans were diagnosed with the acute form of the virus in 2018.<br />That same year, nearly 138,000 were diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C.<br />Chronic hepatitis C can be cured, but those who don't get treated risk significant liver damage, including cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure.<br />The rise in cases of hepatitis C in the US has been attributed to the ongoing opioid epidemic.<br />Hepatitis C is transmitted by sharing contaminated needles. However, Baby Boomers are also at risk if they received blood transfusions before 1950.
