The number of COVID-19 patients at The University of Kansas Health System continues to drop and is now in single digits with eight acute infections, down from 11 yesterday. Of those patients, two are in the ICU, the same as yesterday. 20 other patients are still hospitalized because of COVID-19 but are out of the acute infection phase, down from 23 yesterday. That’s a total of 28 patients, down from 34 yesterday. In addition, HaysMed has a total of seven COVID-19 inpatients – one acute and six in recovery. That’s down from a total of 10 yesterday. Doctors noted the rolling seven-day average has been excellent.
Despite the encouraging numbers, Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System and Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control at The University of Kansas Health System warned not to let the guard down on COVID-19.
“Please be careful and be thoughtful,” said Dr. Stites. He said we are still seeing new cases and that the virus is not gone. He noted the mortality rate for hospitalized COVID-19 patients remains high. Continuing vaccinations, mask wearing, social distancing and common sense about gatherings is still going to be important. “The moment you let down your guard on infection control is the time when we start seeing the spread of the disease.”
With today’s Morning Media Update topic, the conversation focused on the pandemic’s impact on men’s reproductive health. Midway through this pandemic, questions about the virus' potential impact on sperm and male fertility surfaced. Dr. Ajay Nangia, Vice Chair of Urology at KUMC and urologist at The University of Kansas Health System joined for an update.
Dr. Nangia noted that with viral illnesses and testosterone levels there is the acute stage, the recovery stage and then the post-viral stage. Viral illnesses, even the flu, can affect testosterone levels. Studies have shown that happens more in the acute stage. With COVID-19, about 25 percent of COVID-postive ICU patients studied have shown an effect on their sperm. Whether that’s long-term or short-term still needs to be determined. A small Italian study showed that four out of five ICU patients with COVID-19 had sperm counts of zero – asospermia – but Dr. Nangia cautioned that was a very limited study and could have been attributed to other health issues as this is not uncommon when patients are hospitalized.
As far as the vaccine’s impact on sperm count, the doctors agreed that the primary goal should be getting the vaccine to protect against COVID-19 infection. There is not strong evidence of the vaccine impacting sperm counts. Dr. Nangia noted that there is a lack of long-term data since the FDA has only been checking on how medicines affect sperm count since 2011. He said the likelihood of the vaccination causing an effect on male fertility is remarkably small, and like Dr. Stites and Dr. Hawkinson, strongly recommends the vaccine.
When asked if the COVID-19 virus could be spread through sexual activity, Dr. Nangia said that he believes this is not the case. There’s been no evidence of spread this way, but he noted that many cities are able to detect COVID-19 – and strains – through wastewater, so while it may be detected through bodily fluids, there is no evidence of spread. And it would be difficult to isolate sexual activity as the main source of the spread because of the proximity of intimacy with a partner goes beyond social distancing guidelines, so any spread of COVID-19 may be from the close interaction and not intercourse itself.
As for the virus’s impact on adolescent sperm, Dr. Nangia said that there have been no studies yet on this and it is something that researchers will need to look into because it may be too early to tell. Any viral illness can affect testosterone level, but we don’t know the long-term repercussions on the male reproductive system.
There were also questions about the vaccine’s availability only for those over 16 and how children who can’t be vaccinated might be affected. The doctors shared that by vaccinating adults, it helps children because it helps limit the spread and severity of the virus. They do not believe that vaccinating adults will make the virus any worse for children.
“The important thing is getting as many people vaccinated as possible and right now, that is adults,” said Dr. Hawkinson. “So by doing that you are going to overall reduce the spread of infection.”
Thursday, March 11 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Media Update.
Dr. Roopa Sethi, Addiction Clinic Medical Director, and Cyndi Brooks, Addiction Clinic Nurse Manager at The University of Kansas Health System join with researcher Dr. Ann Manzardo, at KUMC to share news of a new shot delivering a proven medication to treat opioid and heroine addicts. The pandemic coupled with a reduction in prescribing opioids has created the perfect storm for increased addictions as well as increased desire to get off pain medications. And, seniors make up a significant part of this population. This new delivery method is considered a “game changer”.
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