The AP (10/26, Pane, Stobbe) reports deaths from coronavirus are increasing each day in the US and overall cases are increasing in 47 states. The AP adds that “average deaths per day across the country are up 10% over the past two weeks, from 721 to nearly 794 as of Sunday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.” Dr. Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, said the current surge is due to the combination of “pandemic fatigue,” “pandemic anger,” and cold weather. Dr. Osterholm added, “When you put those three together, we shouldn’t be surprised what we’re seeing.”

Bloomberg (10/26, Levin) reports the record spike in cases “started with young Americans,” but “is increasingly finding older communities at elevated risk of severe illness.” According to the latest CDC data, “counties with the largest 65-and-over populations are now recording on average 18.9 daily cases per 100,000 residents, 67% higher than a month ago.”

Related Links:

— “Coronavirus deaths are rising again in the US, as feared “Lisa Marie Pane and Mike Stobbe, AP, October 26, 2020

Healio (10/26, Gramigna) reports, “A universal prevention program effectively reduced suicidal ideation and depression symptoms among a general Air Force population,” researchers concluded in a study that “sought to determine whether Wingman-Connect, a network health suicide and depression prevention program for the United States Air Force, reduced suicidal ideation, depression and occupational problems among Airmen-in-training vs. a stress management program.” The research “took place at a U.S. Air Force technical school among 1,485 participants in 215 classes.” The findings of the “cluster randomized clinical trial” were published online in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Universal prevention program reduces suicidal ideation, depression among Air Force members “Joe Gramigna, Healio, October 26, 2020

Healio (10/23, Gramigna) reported, “Rural Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia had worse outcomes than their urban counterparts,” investigators concluded in a study that “sought to outline trajectories and survival of hospital, nursing home, hospice and home health care use among 555,333 Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia in the six years following diagnosis.” The findings of the “retrospective cohort study” were published online in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Rural Medicare beneficiaries with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia have worse outcomes “Joe Gramigna, Healio, October 23, 2020

HealthDay (10/23, Reinberg) reported, “More regular moderate to vigorous physical activity and less sedentary time improve the mental and physical health of older cancer survivors and older people without a cancer diagnosis, say researchers from the American Cancer Society.” Researchers “analyzed aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities, sitting time and mental and physical health of nearly 78,000 people who took part in the society’s Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort,” and “found clinically meaningful differences in mental and physical health between the most and least active, and the least and most sedentary.” The findings were published in Cancer.

Related Links:

— “Exercise Boosts Physical Mental Well-Being of Older Cancer Survivors, HealthDay, October 23, 2020

According to the AP (10/23, Stobbe), 2019 saw the US suicide rate drop slightly, “the first annual decline in more than a decade, according to new government data.” The AP adds, “Experts aren’t sure how the coronavirus will influence this year’s suicide numbers, though American mortality overall is looking far bleaker.”

Related Links:

— “US suicide rate fell last year after decade of steady rise “Mike Stobbe, AP, October 23, 2020