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It’s only February, and an outbreak of measles infections is already inching toward nearly 1,000 cases this year in the U.S. Infections are at an all-time high as a result of declining vaccination rates, following a steep rise in cases in 2025 at 2,280 cases, the highest in 33 years. This week saw new outbreaks concentrated in both South Carolina and Florida. Heres what you need to know. Whats happened? As of Thursday, February 12, there were 910 confirmed measles cases in 24 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (Another six cases were reported among international visitors coming to the U.S.) Those states are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, per CDC data. There have been five new outbreaks reported in 202690% of which are associated with outbreaks that started in 2025. Cases in South Carolina and Florida are spreading In South Carolina, the largest outbreak continues to spread with over 900 cases since last September, CBS News reported. The South Carolina Department of Health reported 933 cases centered around Spartanburg County as of February 10. Meanwhile, in Florida, more than 50 nursing students at Ave Maria University near Naples have contracted the virus, bringing the total there to 57 cases, USA Today reported. What is measles? Measles is a highly contagious virus. A person is contagious four days before showing signs of a rash, meaning they can spread the virus without knowing they are infected. The virus can stay in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. It causes a blotchy, red rash that usually appears on the body three to five days after initial symptoms. Getting the measles vaccine (MMR and MMRV) is the best way to protect against it. Who is contracting measles? Of the 910 cases in the U.S. in 2026, 94% of those that contracted measles were either unvaccinated or of unknown vaccination status, according to CDC data. Only 2% received one vaccine dose, while only 3% received both doses. A majority of those infected (58%) are aged 5-19 years old. Of the 910 cases, 277 cases (25%) were in people under 5 years, 527 cases (58%) were in people aged 5-19 years, 136 cases (15%) were in those aged 20+ years, and 20 cases (12%) were in people of unknown age.
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E-Commerce
Wendys is moving ahead with its plans to close hundreds of restaurants, amounting to between 5 and 6% of its total stores in the U.S., according to its fourth quarter earnings report. The report, published on February 13, showed that Wendys business in the U.S. is currently lagging behind its international efforts. Total same-store sales fell 10.1% over the quarter, driven by performance in the U.S., where same-stores sales were down 11.3% compared to 2% at international locations. Overall, global systemwide sales were $3.4 billion, a decrease of 8.3% from the previous quarter. According to Wendys interim CEO Ken Cook, one way the company is addressing this trend is through ongoing system optimization, which includes the closure of consistently underperforming restaurants to allow franchisee partners to focus on more profitable locations. Shares in Wendys Co. (Nasdaq: WEN) jumped about 5% in early Friday trading, but the companys stock prices overall are nearing lows that havent been seen since 2013. Wendy’s closure updates Wendys first announced plans to shutter several hundred U.S. stores in November 2025. At the time, Cook told investors that some current restaurants do not elevate the brand and are a drag from a franchisee financial performance perspective. Based on todays update, some of those closures have already taken place: Cook shared that 28 restaurants closed during the fourth quarter of 2025. In total, he added, the company expects to close 5% to 6% of its total U.S. restaurants, with all remaining closures slated for the first half of 2026. Given that Wendys operated about 6,000 U.S. before any of the closures, that means that it plans to shutter between 300 and 360 locations. Cook said that the closures were decided in partnership with franchisees, who were allowed to flag the restaurants they were interested in to the company. We established a disciplined process with our franchisees to approach this restaurant-by-restaurant, working with them to make the best decisions that strengthen the system in the long term, Cook said, adding, Obviously, it takes time to work with landlords and achieve what will be a win-win for both the franchisees and the Wendy’s company for those sites that we’re in, so that’ll take a little bit longer to see the rental income impact versus the closures. Wendys did not immediately respond to Fast Companys request for more information on the specific numbers and locations of the closures.
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E-Commerce
A quarter of those under 30 say theyve used AI for companionship, according to Associated Press-NORC polling. The one thing missing? Somewhere to take your AI Valentine on a date. Ahead of Valentines Day, EVA AI decided to solve that problem. The appwhere users can text or, more recently, video chat with AI datesorganized a pop-up social experiment at Same Same Wine Bar in Manhattan this week. Over February 11 and 12, the dimly lit space was filled with patrons seated at tables for one, their AI companions propped up on phone stands. Attendees could bring their own existing AI partners or speed date from a selection of 100 characters. This is another step in the companys long-term strategy to push the boundaries of interaction with AI and make AI relationships a new normal, EVA AI said in a press invite to the event, Wired reports. The platform connects users with a virtual partner who listens, supports all your desires and is always in touch with you, its website reads. It promises that you can build relationships and intimacy privately on your terms. [Photo: EVA AI] While this may sound like the future the sci-fi movie Her was warning about back in 2013, organizers say the goal is not to replace human relationships. Instead, they aim to normalize AI companionship for those already interested in it, or curious about trying it. Surveys suggest younger adults are increasingly open to the idea. A nationally representative survey of 1,060 teens ages 13 to 17 found that 72% have used AI companions at least once, and more than half qualify as regular users in 2025. Of those surveyed, 13% say they use them daily. More broadly, people are turning to AI platforms for romantic connection. Indiana Universitys Kinsey Institute, a leading sex research center, found that 16 percent of participants were using AI as a romantic partner in its Singles in America survey published last year. That shift comes as singles grow increasingly disillusioned with dating other humans. Amid an era of swipe fatigue and dating app burnout, AI is playing a growing role in peoples dating lives. Just over a quarter of singles already use AI wingmen to enhance their dating prospectsup 333% from 2024, according to a recent study. Not everyone would feel comfortable sitting across from an AI companion in a crowded bar, surrounded by human couples. But the experiment underscores how quickly AI is seeping into everyday life. If youre single this Valentines Day, theres always Chad the AI chatbot waiting for the chance to sweep you off your feet.
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E-Commerce
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