In May, we posted a story about the rapid and devastating spread of measles in Bangladesh. The headline: More than 500 children have died in an outbreak that the world is virtually ignoring. We asked the reporter who covered the story to tell us what has transpired since then.
There was optimism early on about bringing the measles outbreak in Bangladesh under control.
In April, the country’s health minister, Sardar Md. Sakhawat Husain, offered this assessment: “Measles outbreak has somewhat decreased in the country. Once the nationwide vaccination campaign begins on April 20, the situation will improve further.”
The goal was to vaccinate 18 million children ages 6 months to 5 years, even if records indicated they’d already been vaccinated. That goal was met and then some, with 18.4 million vaccinations.
Five months later, the outbreak continues apace.
In August, the Centers for Disease Control and Preventionreported that Bangladesh has had more measles cases than any other country from January to June of this year: 57,561.
On the day of Aug. 31, authorities recorded 1,162 suspected cases and 94 confirmed cases in 24 hours.
On September 9, the toll for children who have died from suspected or confirmed measles cases since March 15 passed 1,000, according to the Directorate General of Health Services of Bangladesh.
Why has the virus not been conquered?
It turns out that 18 million vaccinations wasn’t enough to reach all the unvaccinated children. Health experts in the country now say that 22.6 million is the true target.
This persistent immunization gap has given the highly contagious virus a continued chance to spread.
“Many children have still not received the measles vaccine, so we cannot go into a relaxed mode,” Tajul Abdul Bari told NPR. He is a vaccine expert and former program manager of the government’s Expanded Programme on Immunization. “We need to start a new vaccination campaign, potentially covering children from 6 months up to under 10 years of age. We did something similar in 2014.”
Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim, president of Médecins Sans Frontières International, told NPR, “The management of a measles outbreak is vaccinating. Vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate.”
“Measles has a very specific biology. It is highly transmissible. One case of measles can affect 100 others,” he added.
Dr Jahangir Alam, the World Health Organization’s divisional coordinator for the capital city of Dhaka, said: “Even small gaps in immunization coverage can trigger outbreaks. Every missed child increases the risk.”
Indeed, a UNICEF situation report says that 72% of cases are among those with no doses of the two-dose vaccine and 16% of the patients are partially vaccinated.
The toll has been worsened because of the country’s widespread malnutrition, which increases the risk of severe illness and death from a measles infection. “Children who are underweight or have two or more medical conditions at the same time suffer more, and their condition worsens,” says Colonel Latifa Rahman, director of Mohakhali DNCC Hospital, the hospital in the capital that is now doing nothing but measles care.
Malnutrition can also lessen the immunity conferred by a vaccine.
Next steps
On Aug. 18, Bangladesh announced it will vaccinate another 1.6 million children against measles.
Former Health Services Division Secretary Md Kamruzzaman Chowdhury said official data shows that in some pockets of the country, there are children between 6 months and 5 years who missed out on vaccination. in pockets of the country.
“In light of that, we will administer the 1.6 million vaccines we currently have,” he said.
The government is also moving to procure another 2.5 million doses to guard against future shortages, according to Kamruzzaman.
“We will give 1.6 million now and are procuring 2.5 million vaccines for the future. We have spoken with UNICEF about purchasing these vaccines,” he added.
So the early forecast of a quick end to the outbreak has been tempered by the reality in Bangladesh.
“There is no scope for unrealistic assurances. Even if the pace of vaccination were doubled, it would still take another two to three months to bring the measles outbreak fully under control,” State Minister for Health Dr. M.A. Muhit said on Aug. 19.
The toll on families
As the outbreak continues, thousands of families are being driven into financial distress. Nearly 9 in 10 affected households have borrowed money for treatment and 6 in 10 have exhausted their savings, according to a joint assessment in May and June by the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The assessment covered 2,746 measles-affected households receiving care at 12 government medical colleges and district hospitals.
Sonakshi Dey of the IFRC in Bangladesh said economic hardships continue even if a child has recovered: “Beyond direct medical expenses, caregivers often lose income when they need to stay home to care for a sick child or travel repeatedly to health facilities. For low-income households that depend on daily wages, even a short interruption to work can have serious consequences for household wellbeing and food security.”
Families who have lost a child face the heaviest toll of all. Toriqul Islam, whose 10-month-old boy died due to measles on May 9, said in a heavy tone:
“When fate turns against you, this is what happens. I don’t know if there is any greater pain in this world.
“Let the government do whatever they want, but all I want is for no one to die.”
Ali Asif Shawon is the chief reporter at Dhaka Tribune in Bangladesh, where he covers politics, security, climate change, migration and global health. He can be reached on LinkedIn.

The gas leak that forced people to evacuate an apartment complex near South Bend, Indiana and Mishawaka Wednesday morning has been fixed.
The Pin Oak Apartments are located near Hickory Road, and Sorin Street.
The emergency dispatcher said that a car ran into the building and caused the leak.
South Bend police tried to stop the car in traffic, but the vehicle drove into a building within twenty seconds.
A juvenile driver was arrested.

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This article discusses the topic of suicide. Contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline if you, or anyone you know, is thinking about suicide. Call 988 or 1-877-273-8255.
An observational study found that adults who had taken prescription drugs for weight loss in the past year were more likely to experience depression, seek mental health counseling, have suicidal ideas and behaviors, as well as be at higher risk of suicide.
This research was conducted by Asan Medical Center, South Korea. It analyzed the data of 27,741 adult participants (10,908 males and 16,833 females).
These participants included 846 who had taken prescription weight-control medications during the past year. The other 26,895 were not on them.
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Weight-loss drugs users are 1.9 times as likely to suffer from depression, and twice as inclined to seek out mental health counselling.
Also, they were 2.7 times as likely to experience suicidal feelings and to attempt suicide.
These associations were more pronounced among people who used the medication and gained weight or lost it.
The study’s authors wrote that “the tendency for depression- and suicide-related indicators, to rise as weight returns after weight loss drugs use may not reflect only the neuropsychiatric side effects of these drugs but also the complex interplay between psychological and social issues associated with failure weight control.”
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Korean Journal of Family Practice published the findings on August 23.
Bonnie Mitchell is a California-licensed professional clinical counselor. She noted that the study was cross-sectional and observational.
She told Fox News Digital that the study “shows a correlation” between self-reported mental symptoms and weight loss drug use, but cannot prove causality. It does not prove that weight loss medications cause depression or thoughts of suicide.
Data was collected from 2013 to 2022.
“During most of this period, modern GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists used for weight loss (such as high-dose semaglutide/Wegovy or tirzepatide/Zepbound/Mounjaro) were either not yet on the market or had very limited real world uptake in South Korea,” Mitchell said.
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The study sample includes older anti-obesity drugs historically prescribed in South Korea over that decade. These include phentermine and other old agents such as diethylpropion (phendimetrazine), topiramate, orlistat, etc.
The counselor said that central nervous system stimulants, including drugs with phentermine, can cause anxiety, insomnia and mood swings.
Mitchell pointed out that the study revealed a sub-finding: users of the drug who gain weight while taking it have a 4.2x higher chance of having suicidal thoughts compared with non-users.
According to an expert, weight gain or perceived failure in weight management may cause feelings of guilt, shame and helplessness.
Mitchell stated that individuals with severe obesity had higher rates of anxiety, depression and body dysmorphia. A cross-sectional study cannot distinguish between pre-existing mental illness and new symptoms which arose following the start of a medication.
Any active suicidal thought requires immediate medical attention.
It is important to conduct more research to find out if weight loss medications affect mental health or if depression or other symptoms of the disease are linked to obesity or difficulty losing weight.
Researchers also need to find out if there are differences in mental health risks between different weight loss drugs.
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Mitchell pointed out that, “Even though GLP-1 trials showed low risk in absolute terms, FDA labels on chronic weight-management drugs like Wegovy or Zepbound include warnings about mood changes.”
She suggests that physicians conduct a mental health baseline before prescribing weight loss medications. This includes evaluating depression or bipolar disorders, as well as past or present suicidal thoughts or behaviors.
Individuals who are severely obese have higher rates of anxiety, depression and body dysmorphia.
Mitchell explained that doctors can alert patients to mood shifts so they are aware of what to look out for. The next step in ongoing monitoring is to plan check-ins every 4 to 8 weeks during the dose-escalation phase to assess both psychological and physiological well-being.
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If you notice any of the following symptoms or if your depression is worsening, patients should immediately contact their doctor.
Unexplained depression, persistent low mood or extreme fatigue
Anhedonia is the loss of enjoyment in previously enjoyed activities
Anxiety, restlessness, or panic attacks
Insomnia or sleep disturbance
Suicide or self-harm thoughts are worsening or new
Friends or family members report marked changes in personality or behavior
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Mitchell said that “any active suicidal thought requires immediate medical attention.”
If a patient experiences suicidal thoughts or emergent depressive symptoms during the treatment process, the clinician should stop the medication for weight loss and refer the patient to a psychiatric specialist.
In its Safety Information, Eli Lilly (the manufacturer of Zepbound weight loss medication) explicitly states that “depression or suicide thoughts” are not acceptable.
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The website says, “You should be aware of any changes you notice in your behavior, emotions, thoughts or mood.”
The guideline also advises that patients should contact their healthcare provider when they notice “new or worse mental health problems”
Lilly says on its medical information site that, after reviewing medical and clinical reports, there was “no evidence” of an increased risk for suicidal thoughts or adverse psychiatric effects.
Novo Nordisk is the manufacturer of Wegovy weight loss medication, which contains semaglutide. In its clinical trials, Novo Nordisk states that less than 1 percent of patients experienced suicidal behavior or ideation during treatment. The company also states that “there was no difference between semaglutide, 2.4mg and the placebo.”
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Fox News Digital contacted Lilly and Novo Nordisk to get their comments.

Jillian Wilson
Tuesday, September 9th 2026 10:46AM UTC
Sedentary behaviors, such as watching TV, sitting down, and scrolling endlessly on our couches, are common.
The modern day culture encourages a lot of sitting. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 25% of American adults do not get enough movement during their free time.
Sedentary living is well known to increase cardiovascular risk and decrease muscle mass. But new research from the United Kingdom has found that it also increases the likelihood of developing cancer or dying of cancer.
A recent study published in PLOS Medicine examined the link between long-term sitting and cancer risk and death due to cancer. The researchers found that those who moved or did exercise to break up prolonged sitting had a reduced risk of dying from cancer.
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The study found that those who spent an hour of physical activity, like walking slowly or washing the dishes, can reduce their risk of dying from cancer by 12%. The risk of dying from cancer was reduced by 12% for those who did an hour or more of light intensity physical activity, such as walking at a slow pace or doing a chore like washing dishes (yes, even the chores count!
The rate of death from cancer was 8% lower for those who substituted 30 minutes of sitting with moderate exercise, such as walking 3-4 miles an hour. For people who replace just 5 minutes with vigorous activity, like brisk walkin’s, the rate dropped to 22%.
“Just get up. “That is the message,” said Dr. Heidi Prather of Hospital for Special Surgery in New York’s Lifestyle Medicine Program, founder and medical Director. Prather has no affiliation with the study.
The data show that we are all glued to our computers, cars, or other devices that keep us inactive. But, if you interrupt that by doing any kind of physical activity, the results can be very positive. Prather said that the data showed not only cancer deaths, but also an increased risk of cancer.
The study participants were followed up for an average of 12,38 years in order to track cancer diagnoses and deaths related to cancer. Researchers analyzed data collected from 91 292 adults that wore wrist-trackers for 7 days in order to track their activity levels and how much time they spend sedentary.
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The researchers divided sedentary behaviors into two types: interrupted sedentary behaviour, or sedentary activity that was less than 30 mins long and was broken up by movement.
The risk for certain types of cancer, such as breast, colorectal and thyroid cancers and liver cancer, was higher in those with a high rate of prolonged sedentary behaviour.
This study has some limitations. While it is important to break up sitting time, there are other ways you can improve your cardiovascular health and engage muscles. The study’s authors stated in a press statement that the UK Biobank participants have higher levels of physical activity than the UK general population.
Exercise can reduce the inflammation of the body and the likelihood of developing cancer.
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Prather says that 60% of the risk of certain types of cancer (such as colorectal, breast and prostate cancer) are genetic. However, 40% is due to factors such as lifestyle, diet, sleeping, stress, relationship, social connection, and use of dangerous substances.
Prather said that “[these things] together cause us to risk chronic systemic inflammation, chronic diseases and cancer.”
Obesity can be caused by sedentary living, and obesity is a factor in several types of cancer.
Even if you exercise regularly, it’s still important to aim for more movement.
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It’s not possible for all people to follow a daily exercise routine. Even if you don’t go for long runs, or sign up for Zumba class every week, any movement is good for your health.
Prather said that it doesn’t need to be so restrictive. She said that movement could include parking farther away from the supermarket, using the stairs rather than the elevator, or getting off the train a stop earlier to walk the extra two blocks.
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Prather stated that any amount counts. She added that “small goals are the best way to reach your bigger goal. Start with something easy and simple, even if you don’t think it is a big goal.”
You could set yourself the goal of getting out and going for a 10 minute walk after every lunch. Maybe it is to take the stairs at work instead of using the elevator. Maybe you’re taking a 10 minute scroll break in order to clean the counters. It doesn’t matter what your goal is, because everyone will have a different way of moving.
You are not excused from the “move more prescription” even if go to gym before working every morning. You need to move more if you spend long periods sitting at your desk or couch.
Prather told the audience: “Get up and move, because this study shows that it’s important to break up periods of prolonged immobility.” It was clear that prolonged inactivity is as dangerous as not working out.
You can still get the blood pumping and your muscles working by taking a few standing breaks during the day. Prather stated that “we were designed to move and not to sit.”
The original version of this article appeared in HuffPost.
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These unhealthy habits are more common than you think, according to the latest issue of Health.
The article also asks: How many of these “basic hygiene habits” do you practice?
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New research shows that some markers tested during a doctor visit could provide unexpected information about your risk of developing colorectal carcinoma at an early age.
According to an Epic Research analysis, adults younger than 45 with lower levels of the liver enzymes aspartate-transaminase (AST) and alanine-transaminase (ALT) were more susceptible to early-onset colon cancer compared with other age groups.
The direction of the study was counterintuitive. “We tend to look for liver enzymes that are high, so it was surprising to see low AST/ALT levels associated with a greater likelihood of colorectal early onset cancer,” Kersten Bartelt said, a researcher and clinician at Epic Research, who contributed the analysis.
Doctors say younger adults who have low AST and ALT should not panic, as colon cancer screening guidelines are unchanged.
This new study shows an association, but it does not imply that the low levels of a substance cause cancer. Nor should people rush to have a colonoscopy because they are low. The findings, which were not published in peer-reviewed journals, suggest an area that needs to be investigated to understand potential factors behind the increase in colorectal carcinoma among young adults.
Bartelt stated that “our study showed the association, but was not built to discover why.” Low AST or ALT levels can be a sign of low muscle mass, fragility, and nutritional issues. This is one question we’d like to see others investigate.
These new results are remarkable, as higher levels of AST or ALT can be a sign that the liver is unhealthy. Certain conditions like liver disease and infections may also cause these levels to rise. The markers used in blood tests are frequently included because they can be early indicators of disease or injury to the liver, before any symptoms have appeared.
Bartelt stated that “AST and AL aren’t something we would advise anybody to increase.”
She said that “our study does not suggest changing these numbers would alter a person’s cancer risk.” They likely reflect the underlying physiology, such as muscle and nutrition status. The focus, therefore, should not be shifting a single laboratory number, but rather on your overall health, in partnership with your doctor.
Bartelt, her co-workers, and I also examined the levels of potassium, triglyceride, and cholesterol. The researchers found that no other labs performed in routine were linked to early colorectal carcinoma.
Cancer rising among younger ages
Medicine has long been interested in the question as to why there is an increase of colorectal cases among young adults. In the United States, colorectal carcinoma has overtaken other cancer types as the most common cause of death among those under the age 50.
We need to know why there is a lot of attention on colon cancer and early-onset cancer. “There’s been a noticeable increase in colon cancers that are early in their development. If there are markers to help us identify the patients who should be screened, then that would be great.” said Dr. Marc Fenster of Episcopal Health Services, New York, who wasn’t involved with the research.
The broader discussion surrounding colorectal early-onset cancer has focused on genetics and family history, as well as diet and physical inactivity. Other topics include the microbiome and antibiotic exposures. “However, none of the factors can explain why cases are increasing,” Fenster stated. This study could broaden discussion, by indicating that metabolic and nutrition markers collected routinely may contain valuable clues.
Fenster added that although the research points to a “signal” and is “hypothesis-generating,” it does not establish low AST or ALT as risk factors for early-onset colorectal cancer.
He said that the study was meant to encourage more research but not alter how patients are screened.
He said: “I do not want people to believe that if they have a lower AST or ALT level, they will have colon cancer, or need to change anything.” If you have no family history of colon cancer, are healthy and don’t show any symptoms (such as weight loss or rectal bleeding), then I won’t be changing my opinion.
The clinical recommendation in the United States is for everyone with an average risk to begin screening at 45 years of age. Higher-risk people — due to things such as their health history, family history, or symptoms — can start screening sooner. Blood testing can be used to detect colorectal carcinoma.
The American Cancer Society has added, in May for the first, blood-based tests to their list of options for those adults aged 45 or older with an average colorectal risk who do not have or have refused visual examinations and stool tests.
Shield is a blood-based test that is recommended by the group. It is not part of routine lab work.
Blood testing isn’t the preferred screening method for most patients. Colonoscopies remain the standard. A positive Shield test does not mean that the diagnosis is final. The patient should still undergo a colonoscopy.
Fenster stated that blood-based tests do not “replace colonoscopy” in any way.
Generating ‘worthwhile’ questions
Bartelt, her co-workers and more than 11000 people aged 18 to 44 in the United States were analyzed for health information. Between 2017 and 2025, each adult underwent their first colorectal screening and at least had one AST/ALT test within the previous three years.
It was not clear why the patients in this analysis underwent a colonoscopy, or any other type of screening. Regular screening for colorectal carcinoma is recommended only after age 45. This could be due to family history, symptoms, or any other factor that puts them at risk.
Bartelt: “I suspect these patients have some kind of symptom and are having a diagnosis colonoscopy rather than a colonoscopy for screening.”
Researchers compared data collected from those adults diagnosed within one year after the initial screening with that of adults not diagnosed.
Analysis showed that adults with AST below 14 units/liter had a 65% greater likelihood of a colorectal early diagnosis compared to peers with levels between 14 and 29. Adults with ALT below 14 have a 68% greater chance of developing colorectal cancer than those who do not.
ALT of 30 or more was associated with a 29 percent lower chance of colorectal carcinoma diagnosis.
Researchers said that they used levels 14-29 as a comparison value because these levels fall within the middle range of levels found in the analysis.
Bartelt explained that “clinically, the enzymes can vary between people and change over time depending on things such as activity, muscle mass or medication.”
Researchers also examined AST and ALT level changes over time. They focused on those levels which increased in the 3 years prior to the adult screening for cancer.
Data showed that a rise in AST and ALT was linked to a lower risk of colorectal carcinoma by 27%, and a lower chance of cancer by 26% compared to adults whose values remained constant. The data showed that decreasing AST and ALT levels did not have a significant correlation with colorectal carcinoma.
Even so, the definition of “normal” levels for AST and ALT in medicine can differ.
Although each laboratory may use its own range of “normal” AST/ALT values, Dr. Daniel Sussman of University of Miami Health System’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center said that “the AST/ALT levels described in this study as ‘low,’ would be regarded as clinically normal.”
Sussman wrote, “I am very cautious in claiming that the laboratory findings are an abnormality and/or a colorectal risk indicator.” Sussman was not involved with this new study. Unexpected results can generate interesting research questions but also need to be validated.
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Separate research published in International Journal of Cancer found that high levels of AST, ALT and ALT-C, which were still largely normal, are associated with a reduced risk of colorectal carcinoma. This research involved more than 375,000 British people who gave blood samples between 2006 and 2010.
The focus of the previous study was different from the one in the current analysis. It examined how routine blood tests might be used to detect colorectal carcinomas that are not yet diagnosed. Despite their differences, however, both studies showed an inverse correlation between ALT/AST levels and CRC.
Mingyang Song is an Associate Professor at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts, an associate professor who wrote the prior study, but was not involved with the new analysis.
In our study, the participants had AST/ALT values that were largely in the range of normal. These people may have lower levels because of reduced liver functionality or metabolic capacity, which could indicate greater vulnerability to carcinogens and toxins,” Song wrote. Such susceptibility could translate into a higher risk of CRC.
He added, however, that clinical advice should not solely be based on AST and ALT results. Bartelt agrees that a result of low AST/ALT isn’t alarming on its own.
Bartelt stated that more research was needed to establish how low AST and ALT levels should be considered in early screening recommendations. Bartelt said that it is important to keep up with recommended screenings, including routine screenings at 45 years of age for adults with average risk and earlier if you have symptoms or family history. You should also discuss your situation with your healthcare team.
Sussman said that he wouldn’t recommend anyone to try and increase their AST/ALT levels, adding that new research doesn’t change the clinical guidelines around colorectal screening.
He would recommend against screening adults under 45 years of age solely on the basis of their AST and ALT values.
Sussman’s analysis “appears exploratory” rather than conclusive. At this stage, I think that the best response would be to continue investigating rather than change how clinicians interpret liver enzymes or determine who needs colorectal screening.
Caleb Cox who led the Epic team that conducted the analysis, said: “How can this be generalized to a larger population?
Cox stated that the increase in colorectal cases among younger people is “a new area with few answers.” We don’t believe that these low levels of AST and ALT are to blame. These results can point to a possible cause for the lower AST/ALT levels that may also be the underlying factor in the increase of colorectal carcinoma among young adults.