Health News Roundup: China sees fall in coronavirus deaths; Fitness app Strava finds love-hate relationship and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

China sees fall in coronavirus deaths, WHO urges caution, Apple and markets take hit

China reported its fewest new coronavirus infections since January on Tuesday and its lowest daily death toll for a week, but the World Health Organization said data suggesting the epidemic had slowed should still be viewed with caution. The head of a leading hospital in China's central city of Wuhan, epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, died of the disease, becoming one of the most prominent victims since the disease first appeared at the end of last year.

Fitness app Strava finds love-hate relationship with running

Only a fraction of people who run do so because they love it, and most are motivated by boosting their body image and improving their heart and mental health, according to a global survey by the fitness-tracking app Strava. Strava, which tracks the sports activity trends of some 50 million people in almost 200 countries, surveyed 25,000 runners and found that half of them say they either hate it or barely tolerate it, while only 8% love it.

Chinese doctors using plasma therapy on coronavirus, WHO says 'very valid' approach

Doctors in Shanghai are using infusions of blood plasma from people who have recovered from the coronavirus to treat those still battling the infection, reporting some encouraging preliminary results, a Chinese professor said on Monday. A top emergency expert at the World Health Organization (WHO) said later that using convalescent plasma was a "very valid" approach to test, but that it was important to get the timing right to maximize the boost to a patient's immunity.

Gyms in China Livestream routines as coronavirus keeps patrons away

"Stand in front of a chair. Chest up, core tight and square your pelvis," said Heidi Liu, a pilates instructor at a studio in Shanghai, as she demonstrated a series of poses and stretches. But there were no students in the classroom at the Pilates ProWorks studio located in the middle of a central district in Shanghai. Instead, Liu was live streaming using an iPad, broadcasting to hundreds of people working out with her at home.

Sexual and gender identity may be risk factors for skin cancer

Skin cancer risk may vary according to sexual orientation and gender identity, two new studies suggest. An analysis of survey data from more than 800,000 U.S. adults found skin cancer may be more common among gay and bisexual men and people who are gender non-conforming, researchers report in JAMA Dermatology.

Japan plans HIV drug trials to fight coronavirus as Diamond Princess cases rise

Japan plans to start trials of HIV medications to treat coronavirus patients as an increase in the number of cases poses a growing threat to the economy and public health, the government's top spokesman said on Tuesday. The government is making "preparations so that clinical trials using HIV medication on the novel coronavirus can start as soon as possible," Yoshihide Suga told a briefing but added he could not say how long it might take to approve a drug's use.

Russian blogger's HIV documentary reaches millions, draws Kremlin praise

A hard-hitting YouTube documentary about Russia's HIV epidemic by a popular blogger has attracted more than 13 million views in a week and even drawn praise from the Kremlin. Some pharmacists have also reported a rush to snap up express HIV tests after the film, which is just under two hours long, was released on Feb. 11.

Home cleaning products may up risk of childhood asthma

New parents who obsessively clean their homes to protect babies from germs might want to relax a bit, suggests a new study linking high exposure to cleaning products with an increased risk of childhood asthma. Researchers surveyed parents about how often they used 26 common household cleaners over babies' first three to four months of life. By the time the kids were 3 years old, children with the highest exposure to cleaning products were 37% more likely to have been diagnosed with asthma than those with the least exposure.

Southeast Asia's tourist hubs court local market as coronavirus shuts Chinese out

Southeast Asia's holiday hotspots, hit by billions in lost business from Chinese tourists, are turning to markets closer to home to soften the blow from travel restrictions caused by the coronavirus epidemic. To make up for foregone revenues, firms in the region are dangling discounted airfares, hotel accommodation and tour add-ons in a bid to boost domestic travelers.

Sanofi teams up with U.S. agency against coronavirus

French drugmaker Sanofi is working with a U.S. government agency to develop a vaccine against the new coronavirus from China, saying it could have a candidate ready for clinical trials within a year. At least a dozen other drugmakers are currently working on vaccines or antivirals and other treatments to help those infected with the fast-spreading deadly virus, with some antivirals already being used in clinical trials.