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 Delhi government has announced the expansion of the newborn screening program to improve long-term health outcomes of children.

The move is aimed at achieving near-universal screening at government health facilities and outreach centers, according to an official statement.

From the earlier mandated 1.5 lakh children, the government has expanded the Mission ANMOL (Advanced Newborn Monitoring for Optimal Lifecare) to 2.5 lakh infants to ensure early detection of congenital disorders, PTI news agency quoted the officials as saying.

“The scale-up would enable early identification and management of metabolic, endocrine, functional, and visible congenital conditions, improving long-term health outcomes,” said Health Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh.

Notably, the program will focus on timely intervention and follow-up care for conditions such as

• congenital hypothyroidism,
• congenital heart defects,
• hearing impairment,
• retinopathy of prematurity.

What Is Mission ANMOL

Mission ANMOL was announced by the Delhi government on March 24, 2026, during the Delhi Budget session 2026–27.

Under the ANMOL scheme, 56 types of tests will be conducted using a single drop of blood from newborns, completely free of cost in both public and private hospitals.

Delhi Chief Minister, while presenting the Budget, said the scheme aims to ensure that such tests are not seen as a burden.

"Children are dear to all, they are ‘anmol' (translated as invaluable). To prevent genetic disorders, which are extremely expensive to treat, we are launching this scheme," the Chief Minister said.

Also read: Cancer Is The 10th Leading Cause Of Death In Indian Children: Study

How Will Mission ANMOL Work?

Mission ANMOL will adopt a technology-driven and integrated approach aligned with national guidelines to make comprehensive newborn screening a standard practice across Delhi's public health system.

To support implementation, the government has approved 148 positions under the program, including continuation of 73 existing staff and addition of 60 staff nurses and 15 optometrists, according to officials.

The nurses will assist in sample collection, especially for pre-term and critically ill infants, and help coordinate care and transport, while optometrists will support screening for retinopathy of prematurity, they said.

The initiative will also strengthen coordination among hospitals, laboratories, and program units to ensure all newborns are screened before discharge, with special emphasis on high-delivery-load hospitals and neonatal intensive care units.

Singh said the expanded program reflects the government's commitment to strengthening neonatal healthcare and ensuring that no child is left behind.

Also read: 41 million children aged 5-19 living with high BMI in India: Study

Why Newborn Screening Is Important?

Newborn screening can find the disease before the baby looks sick, and enable early treatment and possible cure for many genetic and metabolic diseases.

Genetic disorders can be life-threatening, impact growth, and even lead to physical and intellectual disabilities. The early screening tests detect hidden conditions early, preventing irreversible brain damage or physical disabilities.

Screening within 24 to 72 hours of birth can provide early access to medical care.

The screening test typically collects a blood sample from the heel of the baby by pricking, and the sample is sent to a laboratory for a biochemical test for screening of inherited conditions.

South Africa's National Department of Health has announced that it has received a first consignment of 37,920 doses of the groundbreaking, six-monthly HIV prevention injection, Lenacapavir.

Lenacapavir is the first twice-yearly injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) product that can help tackle the burden of HIV worldwide.

South Africa has the world's largest HIV-positive population of approximately 8 million people, with over 6 million currently on antiretroviral treatment.

“The department will, in the next few weeks, announce the official launch of this game changer where the phased implementation plan will be outlined,” said department spokesperson Foster Mohale, in a statement.

"Lenacapavir is preventive medicine, not a vaccine, considered one of the most exciting HIV prevention advances in years," Mohale said.

The Department noted that the medicine is expected to be sustain nearly half a million people in South Africa over the next two years, the statement said, adding that is will be officially rolled out in May.

Notably, the initial phase will target high-incidence districts and vulnerable groups.

What Is Lenacapavir?

Lenacapavir is a critical tool for reaching the Global AIDS Strategy goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

Lenacapavir injection as an additional PrEP option offers a highly effective, long-acting alternative to daily oral pills and other shorter-acting options.

With just two doses per year, lenacapavir is a transformative step forward in protecting people at risk of HIV -- particularly those who face challenges with daily adherence, stigma, or access to health care.

Marketed under the brand name Yeztugo, lenacapavir, developed by global pharma major Gilead Sciences, costs $28,218 per person per year.

However, it is being provided to South Africa through a $29-million USD grant from the Global Fund.

The shot was tested in two major studies involving high-risk groups: one with young women and teenage girls in South Africa and Uganda, and another with gay men and gender-diverse individuals in several countries. In both cases, the results were striking.

The women who received the shot had zero new HIV infections, compared to around 2% in those on daily pills. In the second study, the twice-yearly shot proved just as effective for men and gender non-conforming individuals.

“This really has the possibility of ending HIV transmission,” said Greg Millett of amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research.

Lenacapavir: How Does It Work?

Yeztugo is administered as two small injections in the abdomen, forming a medication "depot" that slowly releases the drug into the body over six months.

However, people must test negative for HIV before receiving it, as it doesn’t treat existing infections or prevent other sexually transmitted diseases.

Lenacapavir: Why Access Is A Challenge?

Despite its potential, concerns remain over who will actually benefit from lenacapavir.

In the US, only about 400,000 people currently use any form of PrEP — a small fraction of those who could benefit. And structural issues like cuts to public health funding, limited insurance access, and stigma pose significant barriers.

Globally, the challenge is even greater. While Gilead has struck deals with six generic drug makers, including four Indian, to provide low-cost versions of the shot for 120 low-income countries, critics argue that middle-income nations have been left out.

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima noted that at current prices, the shot “will change nothing” for many who need it.

Rotavirus has been increasingly detected in wastewater in several California cities, sparking concerns about the risk of the deadly and highly contagious virus in young children.

The virus is highly contagious and known for causing fever, vomiting, and severe watery diarrhea among small children. Older children and adults with weakened immune systems also are vulnerable, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As per data from WastewaterSCAN, “high concentrations” of rotavirus have been found in Marin, Redwood City, San Jose, and Santa Cruz, while moderate concentrations have been found in Sacramento, Davis, San Francisco, Sunnyvale, Fremont, Vallejo, and Novato, The Sacramento Bee reported.

"It's extremely contagious," Dr. Monica Gandhi, an infectious disease specialist at UC San Francisco, told SFGATE Thursday, explaining that rotavirus is one of the lesser-known gastrointestinal illnesses.

According to UCSF, approximately 50,000 children in the US are hospitalized with it each year.

What Is Rotavirus?

Rotaviruses are the most common cause of severe diarrheal disease in infants and young children worldwide.

The virus, a member of the reovirus family, affects the vast majority of children worldwide before the age of 3 years, and in most developing countries before the first birthday.

The virus causing the infection was discovered in 1973, according to the National Institutes of Health. It causes severe diarrhea, often leading to dehydration, which can be severe, requiring hospitalization.

It is transmitted by

• the fecal-oral route
• directly from person to person,
• indirectly through contaminated objects.

• transient loose stools
• severe diarrhea
• vomiting,
• dehydration,
• electrolyte disturbances,
• shock,
• death if rehydration is not provided.

Is Rotavirus Preventable By Vaccine?

WHO-prequalified rotavirus vaccines have been available since 2008, and there are currently four vaccines available. They are all live, oral vaccines.

RotaTeq, Rotavac, and ROTASIIL should be administered in a 3-dose schedule, while a 2-dose schedule should be used for Rotarix. A minimum interval of 4 weeks should be maintained between doses, the WHO said.

In addition, key measures to prevent diarrhea include the following:

• access to safe drinking water
• use of improved sanitation
• hand washing with soap
• exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life
• good personal and food hygiene
• health education about how infections spread.