Smokers who make the decision to quit will experience immediate health benefits, including a rapid reduction in their risk of atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), according to new research published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. The study, conducted by Dr. Gregory Marcus, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, offers compelling evidence for smokers to quit, showing that it’s never too late to avoid the damaging effects of smoking on heart health.

Dr. Marcus, the senior author of the study, emphasized that A-Fib can be prevented even in individuals who have smoked for years. "The findings provide a compelling new reason to show current smokers that it’s not too late to quit, and that having smoked in the past doesn’t mean you’re ‘destined’ to develop A-Fib," Marcus explained. "Even for the current and longtime smoker, A-Fib can still be avoided."

What is Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib)?

"There’s strong evidence that smoking increases the risk of A-Fib," Marcus said. "But the benefits of quitting smoking have been less certain." With this in mind, his team sought to determine whether quitting could significantly lower a person’s risk of developing A-Fib, or if the risk would remain the same.

The research team analyzed data from over 146,700 current and former smokers, tracking their smoking habits and health over a 12-year period using data from the UK Biobank database. The results were promising: former smokers had a 13% lower risk of developing A-Fib compared to current smokers, while those who quit during the study saw an 18% reduction in their risk.

"This is likely a testament to the potency of reducing atrial fibrillation risk pretty shortly after quitting," Marcus said in a statement from the American College of Cardiology.

The findings highlight the importance of quitting smoking, not only for general health but specifically for reducing the risk of serious heart conditions like A-Fib.

Tips for Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the most effective ways to lower the risk of A-Fib and improve overall heart health. While it can be challenging, the benefits of quitting are clear and immediate. Here are some tips to help you quit smoking successfully:

1. Choose a specific date to quit smoking and stick to it. Prepare yourself mentally and physically for this change.

2. Reach out to family, friends, or a support group to help keep you accountable. Sharing your goals with others can provide encouragement.

3. Options like nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges can help ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings.

4. Identify situations that make you want to smoke, such as stress or social gatherings, and find healthy ways to cope with them.

5. Regular exercise can help distract you from cravings and improve your mood during the quitting process.

6. Drinking water can help flush nicotine out of your system faster, reducing cravings.

7. Activities like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises can help manage stress, a common trigger for smoking.

Quitting smoking offers immediate and significant benefits, particularly in reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation. The latest research provides smokers with more motivation to quit, showing that it's never too late to take control of their heart health.

Health officials in New York have reported at least three suspected cases of tularemia, a rare bacterial illness also known as rabbit fever.

The disease can spread through the bite of infected ticks or deer flies, or through contact with infected animals, particularly rabbits and rodents.

The Suffolk County Department of Health said laboratory testing is required to confirm the suspected cases, a process that may take several weeks.

"Confirmation of a tularemia diagnosis requires a combination of laboratory testing and fulfillment of specific clinical or epidemiologic criteria," the department told ABC 7, New York.

"The laboratory testing to confirm a tularemia diagnosis may take several weeks."

Tularemia Cases in the US

Tularemia is most commonly reported between May and September, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Fewer than 200 cases are reported annually in the US, based on CDC data from 2019 to 2023. Although still rare, reported cases have been increasing.

In Suffolk County, Long Island:

• 4 cases were reported in 2024
• 3 cases in 2023
• 1 case in 2022

What Is Tularemia?

Tularemia is a rare but potentially serious bacterial infection caused by Francisella tularensis, according to the CDC.

The disease can affect the skin, lymph nodes, eyes, throat, lungs, and other organs depending on how the bacteria enter the body.

Rabbit Fever: How Do Humans Get Infected?

People can become infected through:

• Bites from infected ticks and deer flies
• Direct contact with infected rabbits, hares, rodents, or other animals
• Handling infected animal carcasses
• Inhaling contaminated dust, such as while mowing over dead infected animals
• Eating contaminated food
• Getting contaminated water or animal fluids into the eyes.

According to the CDC, the case fatality rate is typically below 2%, though it can be higher depending on the bacterial strain and type of illness.

Types of Tularemia

There are six main forms of tularemia:

• Ulceroglandular tularemia: The most common type; causes a skin ulcer and swollen lymph nodes after a tick bite or contact with an infected animal.
• Glandular tularemia: Causes swollen lymph nodes without a skin ulcer.
• Oculoglandular tularemia: Occurs when contaminated material enters the eyes.
• Oropharyngeal tularemia: Results from eating contaminated food or water, causing sore throat and digestive symptoms.
• Pneumonic tularemia: Affects the lungs and can resemble pneumonia.
• Typhoidal tularemia: A severe form that causes high fever and widespread illness.

Symptoms

Symptoms vary depending on the type of infection but commonly include:

• High fever
• Skin ulcer or open sore
• Swollen, painful lymph nodes
• Watery or irritated eyes
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Muscle aches
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting or diarrhea

Because tularemia is rare, it can be difficult to diagnose, and its symptoms often resemble more common illnesses.

Treatment

Tularemia is highly treatable with antibiotics when diagnosed promptly.

The CDC noted that a vaccine previously used to protect laboratory workers is currently under review by the US Food and Drug Administration and is not generally available.

How to Prevent Tularemia

The CDC recommends the following precautions:

• Use EPA-registered insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus (OLE), PMD, or 2-undecanone.
• Wear long sleeves, long pants, and long socks in areas where ticks and deer flies are common.
• Remove attached ticks promptly.
• Avoid mowing over sick or dead animals.
• Wear gloves when hunting, trapping, or skinning wild animals.
• Cook game meat thoroughly before eating.

The Philippines has launched a fresh measles-rubella vaccination campaign in Eastern Visayas, aiming to vaccinate more than 445,000 children aged six to 59 months.

The intensified Measles-Rubella Supplemental Immunization Activity (MR-SIA) will run from August 10 to 28, with support from local governments, schools, community health workers and barangay officials.

The campaign comes as the country continues to recover from years of declining routine childhood immunisation, which left thousands of children at risk to vaccine-preventable diseases.

"Knowing that our past accomplishments in the country are not that high, the Department of Health decided to have an additional layer of protection for our children by coming up with the Measles-Rubella Immunization Activity," said Dr Exuperia Sabalberino, Regional Director of the Department of Health Eastern Visayas Center for Health Development.

According to the Department of Health (DOH), Leyte accounts for the largest target population, with more than 152,000 eligible children, while Biliran has the smallest.

Children under five years of age will be offered the vaccine regardless of their previous vaccination status if they fall within the campaign's eligibility criteria.

About The Campaign

Health authorities have been race to close immunity gaps and prevent new outbreaks of the highly contagious disease.

The latest push follows concerns over low routine immunisation coverage in several Philippine regions. During the 2023 MR-SIA campaign, Eastern Visayas achieved only 72.6% vaccination coverage, well below the level needed to maintain herd immunity.

Health officials warn that insufficient coverage increases the risk of measles and rubella outbreaks. "Vaccination is an extra layer of protection and also prevents outbreaks, as measles and rubella are highly contagious because one confirmed case can affect 12 to 18 people, especially those who are vulnerable and immunocompromised," said Chiradee R. Claridad, DOH-8 National Immunization Program Coordinator.

Also read: US Measles Cases Reach 2,371; RFK Jr Takes U-Turn, Urges Families to Vaccinate Kids

Measles Remains A Global Concern

Measles is among the world's most infectious viral diseases, spreading through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

It can lead to serious complications including pneumonia, brain inflammation, blindness and death, particularly in young children. Rubella is generally milder but can cause severe birth defects if a pregnant woman becomes infected.

The Philippines has experienced several major measles outbreaks in recent years, including the nationwide resurgence in 2019 and the Bangsamoro outbreak in 2024, both linked to poor vaccination coverage.

The Philippines has already made progress in recent months. Last month, the DOH announced that over one million children in Metro Manila had been vaccinated, achieving 87.1% coverage under the measles-rubella campaign.

The latest campaign also comes after measles gained global attention after several countries, including the United States and parts of Europe, reported outbreaks this year driven by falling childhood vaccination rates.

The United States has reported 2,371 in 2026m according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Among these cases:

• 20% of cases are in children under 5; 49% are in those 5–19 years.
• 7% of patients have been hospitalized, compared with 11% in 2025.
• No deaths have been reported.
• 93% of cases are in people who are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is battling two public health crises at once. While the rapidly expanding Ebola outbreak has sparked global health emergency, health experts warn that another crisis is unfolding quietly: a sharp rise in maternal deaths as pregnant women avoid hospitals out of fear of infection.

According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), maternal deaths in Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, have nearly doubled since late May.

Between May 25 and July 19, 2026, the weekly maternal deaths increased from an average of 3.1 to 5.8, while deaths occurring outside health facilities also rose significantly.

Rising Maternal Deaths In DR Congo During Ebola Outbreak

One of the biggest reasons rising maternal deaths in Congo is fear. Many pregnant women have stopped attending antenatal appointments because early Ebola symptoms, such as fever, weakness, and body aches, can resemble pregnancy-related illnesses. They worry they could be wrongly identified as Ebola patients and isolated from their families.

A recent Associated Press report shed light on ground reality by bringing forward the case of Esther Lutula, a pregnant woman from Bunia, who stopped visiting health centres after hearing reports of patients being isolated.

Like many expectant mothers, she chose to stay home despite understanding the risks of pregnancy complications.

"No woman should die giving life because she is afraid to seek care," said Noemi Dalmonte, Deputy Country Representative for UNFPA in the DRC, noting that misinformation and fear are preventing women from accessing essential and lifesaving maternal services.

Also read: DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Becomes World’s Second Largest As Death Toll Surpasses 1,500

Health System Under Pressure

The Ebola response in DR Congo has pressurised an already fragile healthcare system. Health workers have been reassigned to work on outbreak control, while others have died, fled conflict, or gone unpaid.

Some health facilities have also faced attacks, disrupting routine maternity care. Surveillance teams continue to struggle with staff shortages, delayed reporting, and limited resources, making it harder to provide essential health services beyond Ebola treatment.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says the current outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, is spreading in a difficult humanitarian setting marked by insecurity, population movement, and limited healthcare access.

Unlike earlier outbreaks, there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for this strain, although vaccine trials are underway.

Also read: Milestone In Kala-Azar Treatment: WHO Updates Treatment Guidelines, Recommends Shorter & Safer Regimens

Why Pregnancy Is Even More Risky During Ebola?

In some previous outbreaks, more than 90% of infected pregnant women died. Delays in treating common obstetric emergencies, like severe bleeding, infections, or obstructed labour, further increase maternal mortality.

Health experts stress that many of these deaths are preventable if women receive timely pregnancy care and better clinical services during delivery.

Also read: Uganda Declared Ebola-Free As Congo Outbreak Grows To 3,262 Cases, 1,437 Deaths

DRC Ebola Outbreak

The DRC's Ebola outbreak has already become the world's second-largest on record, with more than 3,500 reported cases and over 1,500 deaths.

However, organisations warn that other indirect casualties, including maternal deaths, could increase dramatically if routine health services continue to crumble.

UNFPA is urging governments and humanitarian partners to strengthen maternity services alongside Ebola control efforts, restore community trust, and ensure that pregnant women can safely access healthcare without fear. "The fear of Ebola should not become another cause of maternal death," the agency has warned.