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Measles outbreak explodes in South Carolina; multiple people hospitalized as cases surpass 200
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The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is sounding the alarm after 26 new measles cases were reported since Friday, bringing the total number of cases in the state’s latest outbreak to 211.
DPH first reported a measles outbreak Oct. 2 in the Upstate region. As of Tuesday, 144 people are in quarantine and seven people are in isolation.
Of the 211 cases, 45 involve children under 5, 143 cases involve children ages 5 to 17, 17 cases involve adults and six cases involve minors whose ages weren’t disclosed.
DPH said 196 of the 211 infected individuals were unvaccinated, four were partially vaccinated, one was vaccinated and 10 are either still being investigated or have an unknown vaccination status.
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Hundreds of people in South Carolina have contracted the measles, and a few have been hospitalized. (Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images)
Officials said 19 of the new cases were associated with “exposures in known households and previously reported school exposures,” and four resulted from church exposures.
DPH identified public exposures at Sugar Ridge Elementary and Boiling Springs Elementary and began notifying potentially exposed students, faculty and staff Dec. 31.
There are nine students in quarantine from the two schools.
Of the 211 cases, 45 involve children under 5 years old. (iStock)
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Exposures also happened at the Tabernacle of Salvation Church, Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg, Slavic Pentecostal Church of Spartanburg and Ark of Salvation Church.
The source of one case is unknown, while two others are still being investigated.
Although complications from measles are not reportable, officials said four people, including adults and children, required hospitalization for complications from the disease.
Officials recommend all children be vaccinated against measles. (Raquel Natalicchio/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images)
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Additional cases required medical care, but the infected individuals were not hospitalized.
Those infected with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears and may be unaware they can spread measles before they know they have the disease, according to DPH.
DPH said it is important for those with a mild illness or those who are in quarantine to stay home to protect others.
“We encourage employers to support workers in following DPH recommendations to stay out of work while ill or in quarantine, which also protects businesses, other workers and clients,” officials wrote in a statement.
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DPH said vaccinations continue to be the best way to prevent measles and stop the outbreak.
Though the CDC recently released new vaccine recommendations under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., its guidelines still dictate all children should be immunized for measles, mumps, rubella, polio, pertussis, tetanus, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), pneumococcal disease, human papillomavirus (HPV) and chickenpox.
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Taking a GLP-1 medication for weight loss may improve male fertility, according to experts.
Research presented this week at ENDO 2026, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago, explored how obesity is strongly linked to fertility problems in men.
Excess weight can contribute to dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis — the hormone system that regulates testosterone production — and functional hypogonadism, a condition in which testosterone levels are abnormally low because of disrupted hormone signaling. These changes can also impair semen quality.
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The researchers evaluated how GLP-1 weight-loss drugs impact reproductive hormones and metabolic outcomes, analyzing data of men between the ages of 18 and 65 who were taking one of the medications, according to a press release.
The systematic review of five randomized controlled trials focused on measuring testosterone, brain hormones involved in testosterone and sperm production, and a protein that carries sex hormones in the blood. Semen quality, weight and BMI, cholesterol and blood sugar were also measured.
Men with obesity and low testosterone linked to obesity may experience improved testosterone, sperm quality and metabolic heath while taking a GLP-1, the study found. (iStock)
The results suggested that GLP-1 medications do not suppress male hormones. Men with obesity and low testosterone linked to obesity may experience improved testosterone, sperm quality and metabolic health, especially during weight loss.
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In one four-week study, dulaglutide showed no significant changes in reproductive hormones or sexual function.
In a separate 16-week trial, liraglutide improved hormones in obese men with functional hypogonadism, meaning low testosterone was likely related to obesity. The review found that liraglutide was better for health outcomes than hormone replacement therapy.
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Another liraglutide study reported improved sperm concentration and count.
The study authors concluded that GLP-1s “do not appear to acutely suppress the male HPG axis and may improve reproductive hormones and semen parameters in obese hypogonadal men, largely within the context of weight loss.” (iStock)
A 24-week trial of semaglutide, known commercially as Ozempic and Wegovy, saw improvement in sperm shape and bad cholesterol, while preserving total testosterone.
As only five trials were included, the small evidence base suggests more research is necessary to prove further association.
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In an abstract of the research, the authors summed up that GLP-1s “do not appear to acutely suppress the male HPG axis and may improve reproductive hormones and semen parameters in obese hypogonadal men, largely within the context of weight loss.”
“However, evidence remains limited and heterogeneous, underscoring the need for larger RCTs explicitly powered to assess male reproductive outcomes,” they wrote.
“This provides early evidence that GLP-1 medications taken by obese men with hypogonadism/low testosterone (low T) improves testosterone levels,” one doctor said. (iStock)
Dr. Anthony Puopolo, men’s health expert and lead medical provider for RexMD, reflected on these findings in an interview with Fox News Digital.
“This provides early evidence that GLP-1 medications taken by obese men with hypogonadism/low testosterone (low T) improves testosterone levels,” he said.
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While more research is necessary, Pupolo, who was not involved in the study, shared his optimism about how GLP-1s can play a role in improving male fertility.
“If this finding continues to gain evidence, GLP-1s might be a better option for low T than testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) in obese men – as GLP-1 medications preserve fertility, whereas TRT tends to be harmful to male reproductive/sperm function,” he added.
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