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.

The US measles outbreak is showing no signs of slowing down as it has reached new locations. A new case was recently reported in Wisconsin's Chippewa County, outside the state's main southwestern outbreak area, while Philadelphia health officials are warning of a possible measles exposure at the city's international airport.

The developments are crucial as measles cases continue to increase across the US, with Pennsylvania reporting hundreds of cases and Wisconsin recording 171 confirmed cases so far in 2026.

New Measles Case Reported In Chippewa County

Wisconsin's Department of Health Services confirmed one measles case in Chippewa County on September 22. According to reports, the case has been attributed to out-of-state travel.

It means that it may not be connected to southwestern Wisconsin outbreak, where cases are concentrated. The state said no public exposure sites have been identified so far. The Chippewa County Health Department is working with the infected person and healthcare providers to identify anyone who may have been exposed.

“Measles is highly contagious, so confirming a case in our community is concerning,” Chippewa County Health Officer Brittnay Herrick said. “Our public health team is working closely with partners to identify potential exposures and ensure those affected have the information and guidance they need.”

Wisconsin has reported cases in Grant, Iowa, Lafayette, Marathon and Vernon counties since August. The state's largest cluster remains in southwestern Wisconsin, where 161 confirmed and six possible cases had been reported by September 18.

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Measles Exposure At Philadelphia Airport

On the other hand, Philadelphia health officials are also warning travelers about a separate possible measles exposure at Philadelphia International Airport. According to health officials, an infected person walked through Terminals B and F, as well as areas connecting to Terminals C, D and E, between 7:25 p.m. on September 13 and 12:05 a.m. on September 14.

The person remained inside the airport and did not leave the premises. Health officials said the airport exposure is not connected to a separate measles exposure reported recently at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson said, “This week's measles exposures are a reminder of how important it is for all of us to be up to date on our vaccinations.” She added that fully vaccinated people are not at high risk from the suspected exposures.

People who were at the airport during the exposure period are being advised to check whether they are immune.

Those who are unvaccinated or unsure of their vaccination status, along with infants, pregnant people who are not immune and people with weakened immune systems, should contact a healthcare provider.

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US Health Officials Concerned Measles Spread

Measles is among the most contagious infectious diseases. The virus spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes, and can remain in the air for up to two hours after the person has left an area.

Early symptoms typically include fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, followed several days later by a characteristic rash. Serious complications can include pneumonia, brain inflammation and, in some cases, death.

The Philadelphia Health Department says measles can be transmitted from four days before through four days after the rash appears, meaning an infected person can spread the virus before realizing they have measles.

People who may have been exposed should first find out if they are immune. Two documented doses of the MMR vaccine provide strong protection against measles. People who are not immune may be eligible for post-exposure treatment, depending on when the exposure happened.

The Trump administration has canceled Obamacare health insurance enrollments covering more than 760,000 people, claiming the policies were linked to unauthorized enrollment. The move is part of a crackdown on fraud in the Affordable Care Act Marketplace.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said it canceled approximately 315,000 Marketplace enrollments on August 31, after investigations with insurers confirmed that the enrollments were unauthorized. The agency estimates that it will return about $2.2 billion in federal premium subsidies.

The administration is also investigating another 419,000 to 450,000 enrollees to determine whether they meet citizenship or immigration and income requirements. These people have not been found ineligible yet and are undergoing additional verification.

Why Is The Trump Administration Canceling These Plans?

The authorities says it is targeting fraudulent, unauthorized and improper enrollments, rather than trying to eliminate Obamacare coverage itself.

CMS said it found that some people were enrolled without their knowledge, while others had unresolved identity, citizenship or immigration-status information. The agency also found applications missing information such as Social Security numbers.

Vice President JD Vance said the canceled group includes “a mix of both phantom people, but also real people who just don’t meet the eligibility requirements,” including some people who he said were enrolled by brokers without their knowledge.

CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz said some enrollees were classified as “phantoms” because officials believe they either did not exist or did not know they had coverage.

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760,000 People Affected

The administration says the 760,000 people were covered by enrollments that CMS determined were unauthorized. But it does not mean every individual has committed fraud.

Some cases involve alleged actions by insurance agents or brokers. CMS says it found applications submitted without required applicant information and evidence that some consumers may have been enrolled without their authorization.

CMS has issued notices to 569 agents and brokers that it intends to terminate their agreements over applications that allegedly lacked key information. The agency says 66 had already received termination notices.

The administration has identified another group of approximately 419,000 to 450,000 people for additional verification.

Officials say they want to establish whether these enrollees are legally eligible for Marketplace coverage and whether they meet the income requirements for the federal subsidies.

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Insurance Brokers Under Radar

CMS says newly registered brokers for the 2026 plan year accounted for a disproportionate share of the fraudulent Obamacare enrollments.

According to the agency, enrollments handled by these newer brokers were 2.8 times more likely to have unresolved income-verification issues, 2.7 times more likely to be missing Social Security numbers and 2.6 times more likely to have unresolved citizenship or immigration-status verification issues compared with brokers registered before 2026.

CMS has therefore imposed a temporary moratorium on new broker registrations for the 2027 plan year for agents and brokers without an active 2026 Exchange Agreement.

The move does not end the Affordable Care Act or eliminate Marketplace insurance. Instead, it represents a major tightening of how the federal government verifies who is enrolled and who qualifies for subsidies.

More than five months after the UK’s worst meningitis B outbreak in Kent, scientists say they have identified genetic changes that may explain why the infection caused unusually severe disease.

According to UKHSA data, more than 20 young people, mostly students, were infected in the March outbreak linked to a Canterbury nightclub. All required hospital treatment; nine were admitted to intensive care and two died.

“This investigation shows just how quickly and dramatically these bacteria can change, sometimes acquiring new traits from harmless bacteria circulating nearby, that make them more likely to cause disease,” said Dr Charlene Rodrigues, Consultant in Pathogen Genomics at UKHSA.

What Happened in Kent?

Two people died in the outbreak — a 21-year-old University of Kent student and Juliette Kenny, a sixth-form pupil at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham.

The outbreak is thought to have started at Club Chemistry, a nightclub in Canterbury city centre popular with university students. Scientists believe one person may have brought the infection into the venue, where it then spread through close social contact.

At the time, scientists described the outbreak as “unprecedented” and “explosive” because of its unusual speed and severity.

“The fact this outbreak variant was able to spread to so many young people was due to the social environment, a place where lots of close social mixing takes place,” Dr Rodrigues said.

What Did Scientists Find?

Scientists from UKHSA, the University of Oxford and academic institutions used bacterial genome sequencing to investigate the outbreak.

UKHSA’s Meningococcal Reference Unit sequenced the bacteria within days of the first case and compared the outbreak strains with tens of thousands of meningococcal genomes in international databases.

They found that the outbreak strain had acquired DNA from less harmful bacteria naturally found in the human throat.

“This process is called ‘horizontal gene transfer’ and allows bacteria to pick up and incorporate small pieces of DNA from other bacteria in their environment, effectively borrowing genetic traits without direct reproduction taking place,” the scientists explained.

The changes appear to have altered how the strain interacts with human cells, making it more effective at causing severe disease and potentially harder for the immune system to recognize.

The same changes may also help explain why the strain has not continued to spread widely since the outbreak was controlled.

The findings were published as a pre-print and presented this week at the UKHSA Conference 2026 in Manchester.

Could Such an Outbreak Happen Again?

The researchers compared the Kent outbreak with historical outbreaks, including one at the University of Southampton in 1997, and found similarities in how the bacteria evolved.

The team said highly invasive strains can emerge suddenly and unpredictably, meaning similar outbreaks could occur again, although exactly when and where is impossible to predict.

The findings highlight the importance of genomic surveillance, rapid public health responses, vaccination and awareness of meningococcal disease symptoms.

What Is Meningitis?

Meningitis is inflammation of the meninges, the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by bacterial, viral, fungal or parasitic infections, as well as non-infectious conditions.

Bacterial meningitis can be severe and may lead to complications including hearing loss, vision problems and death if not treated promptly.

Common symptoms include:

• Severe headache
• Stiff neck
• Photophobia or sensitivity to light
• Nausea and vomiting
• Confusion or difficulty concentrating
• Fatigue or difficulty waking
• Seizures
• Skin rash, particularly in meningococcal disease

In infants, symptoms may include excessive crying, irritability, feeding difficulties, a bulging soft spot on the head and unusual lethargy.

Two doses of the MenB vaccine offer protection against meningococcal group B disease.