This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Suicide continues to be a leading cause of death in the U.S., with approximately 49,000 people taking their own lives in 2022.

That’s according to a new report released Sept. 10, which is World Suicide Prevention Day, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The report highlighted three county-level factors that contributed to suicide rates — health insurance coverage, household broadband internet access and household income.

SUICIDE RATES REACH ALL-TIME HIGH IN US, PER CDC DATA

“Overall, suicide rates in counties with higher levels of health insurance coverage, household broadband internet access and household income were lower than rates in counties with lower levels of these factors,” the report stated.

Suicide rates were highest among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native people, males and rural residents, according to the CDC.

“It might feel uncomfortable to act on potential warning signs, but in reality, it is courageous and can save a life.”

Data for the report was pulled from the 2022 National Vital Statistics System.

Fox News Digital reached out to the CDC for comment.

Warning signs to know

The best suicide prevention is to check in on loved ones regularly and understand how they are doing, according to Cara McNulty, the Minneapolis-based president of behavioral health and mental well-being at CVS Health.

“By doing this, you can notice any changes in mental health and begin to offer support before the signs of suicide,” McNulty previously told Fox News Digital.

On World Suicide Prevention Day, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report identifying the top three factors driving suicide rates. (Reuters/Tami Chappell/File Photo)

“If your loved one has a preexisting mental health issue, such as depression, substance-use disorder, anxiety or psychosis, they are at an elevated risk of attempting suicide.”

Other risk factors for suicidal thoughts include eating disorders, trauma or personality-related disorders, McNulty warned.

YOUNG WOMAN IS TALKED OUT OF SUICIDE BY A PASSERBY, AN OFF-DUTY PARAMEDIC: ‘ARE YOU OK?’

“However, it’s crucial to note that mental illness alone doesn’t cause suicidal thoughts. It’s the combination of distress from these conditions and life challenges that can lead to such feelings and behaviors,” she added.

Environmental factors such as prolonged stress and life-altering events, as well as a family history of mental health issues or suicide, can also contribute to suicidal tendencies, the expert noted.

Environmental factors such as prolonged stress and life-altering events and a family history of mental health issues or suicide can contribute to suicidal tendencies. (iStock)

Some signs a loved one may be considering suicide include the mention of feeling a sense of emptiness or being better off dead, increasing alcohol or drug use or saying goodbye to loved ones, according to McNulty.

“If you hear any of the above, it is time to seek out help,” she said.

“It might feel uncomfortable to act on potential warning signs, but, in reality, it is courageous and can save a life.”

ARMY VETERAN SAYS FAITH IN GOD SAVED HIS LIFE AFTER 12 SUICIDE ATTEMPTS: ‘SOMETHING STRONGER THAN MYSELF’

Suicidal ideation isn’t black and white but more of a spectrum, noted Dr. Ryan Sultan, a board-certified psychiatrist and research professor at Columbia University in New York and medical director of Integrative Psych NYC.

“While active plans or intentions to commit suicide are on the more severe end of this spectrum, even passive thoughts about suicide should never be dismissed,” he previously told Fox News Digital.

“Every expression or hint of suicidal ideation, no matter how seemingly benign, warrants attention, understanding and appropriate intervention,” a mental health expert said. (iStock)

“Such thoughts, while not always leading to active plans or attempts, are concerning and should raise yellow or red flags for both the individual experiencing them and the people in their lives,” he added. 

“Every expression or hint of suicidal ideation, no matter how seemingly benign, warrants attention, understanding and appropriate intervention.”

Debunking myths about suicide

One of the most common misconceptions is that mentioning the word “suicide” to people in crisis increases the chances that they will act on it, said McNulty. 

“Having open and honest dialogues can promote healthy relationships and reduce the feeling of isolation that someone struggling may be experiencing,” she said.

“It’s not just about recognizing the signs — it’s about feeling empowered to act upon them.”

Advertisement

People also may incorrectly believe that suicide is not something that can be preventable, McNulty noted.

“Suicide is very complex, and it may feel that stopping an attempt is impossible, but the reality is if we continue to discuss the warning signs and connect people in need to available resources, we will have a better chance to reduce suicide rates nationwide,” she said.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

“Most people with suicidal ideation or intent are highly ambivalent, driven by intolerable pain. Guiding someone to receive professional help can tip that critical scale. People typically don’t want to die. They want the suffering to end.”

The best suicide prevention is to check in on loved ones regularly and understand how they are doing, an expert said. (iStock)

Sultan calls for better education, open dialogue and improved access to resources to “bridge the gap” between suicide awareness and prevention. 

“It’s not just about recognizing the signs. It’s about feeling empowered to act upon them,” he said. “Only then can we hope to stem the rising tide of suicidal ideation among our younger generation.”

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

If someone exhibits signs of suicidal thoughts, experts urge seeking help immediately by calling or texting 988 or chatting at 988lifeline.org.

CVSHealth.com also offers a number of mental health guides, podcasts and training centered around different populations and their unique mental health needs.

Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.

Use escape to exit the menu.

Scientists are warning of a new tick-borne disease called Wetland virus (WELV) that was recently discovered in China.

A member of the Orthonairovirus genus of viruses, WELV previously infected a man in Inner Mongolia, China, in 2019, but it was not identified until this new study, which was published in The New England Journal of Medicine last week.

The 61-year-old man, who was bitten by a tick at a wetland park, sought medical attention for “persistent fever and multiple organ dysfunction,” according to the study.

FIRST CASE OF HUMAN BIRD FLU DIAGNOSED WITHOUT EXPOSURE TO INFECTED ANIMALS, CDC SAYS

A team of researchers from the Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology isolated the virus from that patient and later identified it as WELV.

Using laboratory testing, the team went on to detect the virus in 17 other patients in China whose symptoms included fever, headache, dizziness, muscle pain, fatigue, back pain, arthritis, swollen lymph nodes and neurologic issues, the study findings noted.

Some also had petechiae, which are spots on the skin caused by bleeding from capillaries.

Eight of the patients who had recovered were found to have four times as many WELV-specific antibodies than those who had not yet recovered, the researchers found.

3 DEATHS REPORTED AFTER LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE OUTBREAK AT SENIOR LIVING FACILITY

After receiving antiviral medications, antibiotics or immunoglobulin therapy, all the patients recovered without any long-term health effects.

The Wetland virus is similar to the Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever, a virus that causes fever, headache, muscle pains, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding into the skin and liver failure in severe cases, according to the study findings.

The virus could cause brain damage and death, researchers found. 

The RNA of the virus was found in five different tick species, along with sheep, horses, pigs and rodents in northeastern China. 

When injected into mice and hamsters, the virus was shown to cause brain damage and death. 

A team of researchers from the Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology isolated the virus. (iStock)

Diagnosing the Wetland virus could prove to be a challenge because its symptoms usually match that of a “non-specific illness,” the researchers noted.

“Improving surveillance and detection for emerging orthonairoviruses will allow a better understanding of the effect that these viruses have on human health,” they wrote.

Doctors react to viral discovery

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, said the findings spotlight the wide range of viruses that a tick or other “insect vector” can transmit.

“This can cause hemorrhagic fever and can be quite deadly,” Siegel, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital. “It’s worth keeping an eye on but is very rare.”

WHAT IS EEE, THE MOSQUITO-BORNE DISEASE THAT KILLED A NEW HAMPSHIRE MAN?

Dr. Edward Liu, chief of infectious diseases at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center, noted that tick-borne diseases typically don’t spread quickly.

“They slowly expand their territory as ticks shift their environments but are nothing like respiratory viruses, which transmit much more easily and literally can spread from continent to continent in one day,” he told Fox News Digital.

It’s important to identify and avoid areas where ticks may live, including wooded, grassy or brushy areas, according to the CDC. (iStock)

Viruses or bacteria that live in ticks are specific to certain species, Liu noted, “so those viruses don’t automatically transfer to ticks in the U.S.”

“I am not worried about a COVID-19-type pandemic,” he added.

‘SLOTH FEVER,’ OR THE OROPOUCHE VIRUS, HAS ENTERED THE US, HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW

He did, however, echo Siegel’s warning of potentially fatal ramifications, as the Wetland disease causes hemorrhagic fever, which can be deadly. 

“Elderly people and immunocompromised patients are at the greatest risk,” Liu said.

Preventing tick bites

The best means of prevention against tick-borne diseases is to protect against bites, experts say.

It’s important to identify and avoid areas where ticks may live, including wooded, grassy or brushy areas, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They can also live on animals.

The Wetland virus is similar to the Crimean–Congo hemorrhagic fever, a virus that causes fever, headache, muscle pains, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding into the skin and liver failure in severe cases, according to the study findings. (iStock)

The CDC recommends treating all clothing and gear with products containing 0.5% permethrin, which helps to repel ticks.

People can also apply an EPA-registered insect repellent, such as those containing DEET.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

After coming inside after spending time outdoors, the CDC recommends checking all clothing, gear and pets for ticks. It is best to shower within a couple of hours.

The agency also suggests doing a full body check.

To protect against tick bites, people can also apply an EPA-registered insect repellent, such as those containing DEET, the CDC said. (iStock)

Clothing can be dried at high heat for 10 minutes — or washed with hot water — to kill any ticks.

Anyone who experiences symptoms of illness after a tick bite should contact a medical provider.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health

The study at Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences.

Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.