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THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- If you have asthma, you are among those at greatest risk in the coronavirus pandemic and must take precautions, the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) says. It's important to keep your asthma well-controlled, so continue your medications. No asthma medications -- including inhaled corticosteroids and biologics -- have been shown to increase the risk of getting COVID-19, according to the ACAAI. And, the group added, if you do get the virus, there's no information that asthma medications will make your infection worse. The ACAAI recommends contacting your allergist if you have any questions, have trouble breathing or your asthma symptoms become more severe. Other people at higher risk from the coronavirus include...

THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The novel coronavirus appears to be seasonal in nature, with major outbreaks occurring mainly in regions that match a specific set of climate conditions, a new study argues. All areas experiencing significant outbreaks of COVID-19 fall within a northern corridor that has an average temperature of 41 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit and an average humidity of 47% to 79%, according to virology researchers. These affected regions -- China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Northern Italy, Seattle and Northern California -- all fall within a band between 30 to 50 degrees Northern latitude. There's been a lack of significant spread of COVID-19 into countries farther South. "To us, this suggests temperature and also low absolute and specific humidity could...

THURSDAY, March 19, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- President Donald Trump signed an $850 billion coronavirus relief package into law late Wednesday, as the number of U.S. cases climbed to 9,000. The package will provide sick leave, unemployment benefits and free coronavirus testing. Even as the legislation became law, the drafting of $1 trillion economic stabilization package is also already underway. That package would send $500 billion in direct payments to taxpayers and provide loans to businesses, and has already begun, the New York Times reported. Trump also invoked a wartime law on Wednesday that would allow the federal government to direct companies to produce medical supplies if needed. As countries around the world wonder what is in store for their citizens in the coming...

WEDNESDAY, March 18, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Surgery can cut pain intensity by more than half among patients struggling with long-term sciatica, researchers report. "Sciatica is the symptom of pain that radiates down the leg and is caused by compression of a nerve root in the spinal canal by a disc herniation," explained study author Dr. Chris Bailey. He's an associate professor of surgery with the Bone and Joint Institute at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke notes that compression of the sciatic nerve -- which runs through the buttocks and down the back of the leg -- can cause a shock-like or burning sensation in the lower back. It can also trigger leg, foot and buttock pain and, in some cases, leg...