WEDNESDAY, May 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- A jump in coronavirus cases is being seen in nearly a dozen U.S. states, at least half of which reopened early, as the country's coronavirus case count neared 1.7 million on Wednesday. Though the overall national trend has been staying steady or dropping, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee are some of the states seeing upticks, The New York Times reported. All five states were among the first to loosen social distancing restrictions. To some degree, the increase in cases may be due to increased testing, but it also suggests that the virus's spread in this country is nowhere near over, the Times reported. In a sign that the mental health toll of the coronavirus pandemic is also on the rise, new Census Bureau data...

TUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Though the physical health risks posed by COVID-19 are at the top of everyone's mind, experts warn the pandemic is also exacting a massive toll on mental health. So finds new research emerging on the mental health effects in China, where infection peaks and lockdowns have preceded the American experience by several months. For example, one recent study in the journal Psychiatry Research surveyed more than 7,200 Chinese men and women during the country's February lockdown. More than a third were found to be suffering from COVID-related "generalized anxiety disorder," while about a fifth struggled with signs of depression. Just over 18% reported sleeping difficulties. The good news? Experts say there are effective coping strategies for those...

TUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ) youth who die by suicide are five times more likely to have been bullied than their straight counterparts. The finding stems from a review of nearly 10,000 U.S. death records for 2003 to 2017. All of the youth were between 10 and 19 years of age when they took their own lives. While LGBTQ youth are more likely to be bullied and report suicidal thoughts than their straight peers, researchers said this study may be the first to show that bullying is a more common precursor to suicide among LGBTQ people. "Clear and consistent evidence shows that LGBTQ youth are more likely to experience bullying -- including in-person bullying and cyberbullying -- than their heterosexual and cisgender...

TUESDAY, May 26, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Receiving home health care reduces heart attack survivors' risk of hospital readmission after discharge, a new study finds. In the United States, only a small percentage of heart attack survivors receive home care such as nursing and physical therapy, according to study authors. The findings were presented recently at a virtual American Heart Association meeting. Research presented at meetings is typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. "Little is known regarding the impact of home health care on heart attack patients," lead author Muhammad Adil Sheikh said. "Since patients who receive home health care tend to be older and sicker than others, and these characteristics themselves can lead to hospital...