Ministry Issues Warning Against 'Very High' UV Index In Canary Island, Know Why It Matters

Updated Feb 25, 2025 | 10:41 AM IST

Summary The Ministry of Health for this holiday destination has urged both, residents and visitors to take extra precautions and preventative measures to limit the impact of sun exposure over their body and skin.
High UV Index in Carnay Islands

Credits: Canva

When the sun is out after a long winter, every one loves it. But not the people of Canary Islands. Tourists there are being warned about the "unusually high risk" of UV rays this week. The Ministry of Health for this holiday destination has urged both, residents and visitors to take extra precautions and preventative measures to limit the impact of sun exposure over their body and skin.

The Ministry observed Aemet, Spain's national weather agency for the forecast which showed higher than normal UV or ultraviolet radiation levels in the region. It is in this backdrop that everyone in the region are requested to be extra careful when they are out in the sun. UV levels are set to reach 7, which is a 'high risk' in La Palma, El Hierro, La Gomera and Gran Canaria. Other regions like Tenerife, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are expected to reach a level 6, which is also classed as 'high risk'.

UV Index Explained

As per the World Health Organization (WHO), a UV index is a measure of the level of UV radiation, which ranges from zero upward. The higher the UVI, the greater potential for damage to skin and eye and the less time it takes for harm to occur, notes WHO.

The range 1 to 2 represents a low risk, 2 to 5 is moderate, 6 to 7 is at high risk, 8 to 10 is at very high and anything over 11 is extremely risky for anyone to stay out.

UV radiation levels fluctuate throughout the day, with the highest values occurring during the four-hour period around solar noon. The reported UV Index (UVI) typically reflects this daily peak. Depending on geographic location and the use of daylight saving time, solar noon falls between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. In some countries, sun protection advisories are issued when UV levels are expected to reach 3 or higher, as exposure at these levels increases the risk of skin damage, making protective measures essential.

What happens to you when you are out in sun for too long?

While sun bathing is good, being out in the sun when the UVI indicates a high or very high risk, may cause you health concerns. It can lead to sunburn, premature skin aging, incresed risk of skin cancer, eye damage and in severe cases, heat related disease.

Sunburn

It is one of the most common skin injury which happens when there is excess exposure to UV radiation from the sun. This happens when the UV radiation directly damages the DNA skin cells. These damaged cells die and shed, this is why people experience peeling after getting a sunburn.

Dehydration

This is also a common occurrence when your body loses too many fluids or electrolytes. It can also interfere with your normal body functions. You may feel dehydrated, especially when you are out in the sun, but not well hydrated. The most common symptoms are dizziness, fatigue and headache on hot days.

Hyponatremia

This is an electrolyte disorder in which your body experiences low sodium in blood. The symptoms could lead to nausea, confusion and even weakness. There are extreme cases when one may have seizures, slip into coma or die.

Heat Exhaustion

This is one of the most common consequence of being out under the hot sun. Dehydration with prolonged heat exposure can lead to heat exhaustion.

Heatstroke

When you are out under the sun and your body's core temperature cross 104°, heatstroke may occur. This is also known as sunstroke. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it causes more than 600 deaths each year in the United States.

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Bryan Johnson Blames Sugary Cereals, Soda and Stress for His Autoimmune Disease; Shares Treatment Plan

Updated Jul 4, 2026 | 07:00 AM IST

Summary​Bryan Johnson noted that autoimmune gastritis can cause irreversible damage, including nutritional deficiencies, anemia, and an increased long-term risk of stomach cancer.
Bryan Johnson Blames Sugary Cereals, Soda and Stress for His Autoimmune Disease; Shares Treatment Plan

Credit: X/Instagram

Longevity expert and millionaire Bryan Johnson has revealed that he has been diagnosed with autoimmune gastritis (AIG), a condition in which the immune system attacks the stomach lining.

In a post on X, Johnson, known for his radical experiments, including receiving blood transfusions from his teenage son, said he believes years of eating sugary cereals, drinking soda, consuming fast food and experiencing chronic stress contributed to the development of his autoimmune conditions.

Calling it a "bad news", the millionaire said: "I have an autoimmune disease. My stomach is eating itself". He added that "2–5% of people have this, too. Likely more, because it hides".

“As a kid, I ate sugar cereal, drank sugary soda, and gobbled down fast food. I had a few healthy years in my early 20s, but then became a young father of three and began building a business. Juggling that stress and grind, I let my health slip and gained 40 lbs,” he wrote.

He added that he later developed chronic depression and believes that during this period, his body began an autoimmune process affecting both his thyroid and stomach lining.

Also read: Donald Trump Posts AI Video of Himself Treating Critics for 'Derangement Syndrome'

Diagnosed With Hypothyroidism At 21

Johnson said he was diagnosed with hypothyroidism at the age of 21 during a routine blood test. He has since managed the condition with levothyroxine and Armour Thyroid.

“They are the hormones my body should be producing on its own, but wasn’t. By taking these pills daily, my body was able to operate as though my thyroid was functioning properly.”

He said his stomach had also begun attacking itself, but the condition went undetected because he had no symptoms. It was only discovered in May.

Johnson noted that autoimmune gastritis can cause irreversible damage, including nutritional deficiencies, anemia, and an increased long-term risk of stomach cancer.

Early Signs

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Johnson said he had persistently low ferritin levels for the past 11 years despite not having anemia.

“We continually tried to raise my iron levels with food and supplementation, but nothing would work.”

He said he followed a plant-based diet, trained intensely, used a sauna and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and took iron supplements, but his iron levels remained low.

A colonoscopy ruled out slow gastrointestinal bleeding, while an upper endoscopy with five stomach biopsies revealed early autoimmune gastritis. The biopsies showed early atrophy confined to the stomach's acid-producing lining, while

the rest of the stomach remained unaffected.

“So this was never one problem. It was three, linked to one another: the iron deficiency, the autoimmune gastritis driving it, and the autoimmune thyroid disease alongside it.”

Bryan Johnson's Treatment Plan

Johnson said he has undergone a large blood draw to sequence more than one million individual immune cells.

According to him, the goal is to identify the specific immune cell clones attacking his stomach lining. He compared immune cells to soldiers carrying unique "keys," explaining that the advanced sequencing technology can identify the rogue immune cells responsible for autoimmune gastritis.

Johnson said that once those immune cells are identified, the findings will help determine the most appropriate therapy to target and suppress the autoimmune attack.

What Is Autoimmune Gastritis?

Autoimmune gastritis (AIG) is a long-term autoimmune disorder in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks the stomach's parietal cells, which produce stomach acid, as well as intrinsic factor, a protein essential for absorbing vitamin B12. Over time, this damages the stomach lining and reduces the body's ability to absorb iron and vitamin B12, increasing the risk of nutrient deficiencies.

In many people, symptoms are caused more by these nutritional deficiencies than by inflammation of the stomach itself.

Common symptoms include:

  • Ongoing fatigue and weakness
  • Low iron levels or iron-deficiency anemia
  • Vitamin B12 deficiency, which may lead to numbness, tingling, balance problems or memory difficulties
  • Pale skin and shortness of breath
  • Reduced appetite, bloating, nausea or discomfort in the upper abdomen
  • Mouth ulcers.

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Congo Starts Ebola Treatment Trial As Cases Reach 1,427, Deaths Hit 440

Updated Jul 4, 2026 | 12:00 AM IST

SummaryAccording to Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, the PARTNERS trial in the DR Congo will evaluate the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, alone and in combination.
Congo Starts Ebola Treatment Trial As Cases Reach 1,427, Deaths Hit 440

Credit: iStock/Canva

The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo has risen to 1,427 cases, while the death toll has climbed to 440, according to the latest government data.

More than 609 patients are hospitalized in Congo, while many have also recovered. Uganda has so far reported 20 confirmed cases and two deaths. There has also been one case in France and another in a US citizen medically evacuated to Germany, both believed to have been imported from areas affected by the ongoing outbreak.

The Ebola virus disease, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, has no approved vaccine or treatment.

"Even without approved therapeutics, people are recovering from this disease, but, of course, we could save many more lives with safe and effective therapeutics in our toolkit," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

He said this while announcing the launch of the clinical trial of two therapeutics, with the enrolment of the first patient.

"The PARTNERS trial will evaluate the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, alone and in combination," he added.

Also read: Donald Trump Posts AI Video of Himself Treating Critics for 'Derangement Syndrome'

All About the Trial

The study is being coordinated by the DRC's National Institute for Biomedical Research, supported by a coalition of partners including WHO, and conducted in close cooperation with the affected communities.

According to Tedros, patients who enroll in the trial will receive comprehensive supportive care and close follow-up.

"We are also working to ensure they have access to the two drugs should they prove safe and efficacious in the trial."

In addition, the WHO has granted emergency use listing to the first molecular diagnostic test for Bundibugyo virus.

Further, the antiviral drug remdesivir, marketed as Veklury is also expected to start. Remdesivir became widely known during the COVID-19 pandemic and is being evaluated to determine whether it can improve outcomes when combined with the antibody treatment.

As per experts, it could take months, and possibly as many as 1,000 study participants, to determine whether either drug works.

Currently, the study is being offered only at one Ebola treatment center in Congo's Ituri province. The region has been heavily affected by violence, including attacks on healthcare workers responding to a virus spread through contact with infected patients' bodily fluids. Officials plan to expand the trial to other locations once it is safe to do so.

Read More: Australia Reports More H5 Bird Flu Cases: Does It Have Pandemic Potential?

Challenges Remain

Tedros said that despite the progress, significant challenges remain, including mistrust and violence.

This week, an Ebola treatment center in Ituri province was attacked, resulting in the deaths of two people. The center was set on fire, and patients fled.

Such acts not only endanger patients and health workers but also impede efforts to stop transmission and save lives.

He added that the complexity of the outbreak requires close coordination across the United Nations system.

What Is Ebola?

Ebola is a severe and often fatal viral hemorrhagic fever first identified in 1976. Since then, more than 30 outbreaks have been recorded, primarily in Central and West Africa.

Common Symptoms of Ebola

  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Weakness and fatigue
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Muscle pain
  • Sore throat
  • Unexplained bleeding or bruising.

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Donald Trump Posts AI Video of Himself Treating Critics for 'Derangement Syndrome'

Updated Jul 3, 2026 | 10:01 PM IST

SummaryIn the AI-generated video, Trump, posing as a doctor, asks his patient to turn off fake news to get treatment for 'derangement syndrome'. He asks them to drink Diet Coke like him, if they ever feel anxious, to see a remarkable difference in their life.
Donald Trump Posts AI Video of Himself Treating Critics for 'Derangement Syndrome'

Credit: Trump/Truth Social

Amid increasing conversations about Donald Trump suffering from dementia, the US President posted an AI-generated video of himself as a doctor diagnosing celebrities with what he calls "Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS)."

The clip features AI recreations of Hollywood actors and celebrities, including Whoopi Goldberg, Robert De Niro, Julia Roberts and Rosie O'Donnell, all of whom have previously criticized Trump.

"Have you or someone you know been diagnosed with TDS?" the AI Trump asks at the start of the clip posted on Truth Social.

Calling the "symptoms relentless," the 80-year-old President said that "fortunately, I'm Doctor Trump, and I have a treatment plan," The Independent reported.

Trump's AI Patients Share Their Symptoms

The AI-generated Trump then invited viewers to hear from some of his "patients."

"I couldn't eat, I couldn't sleep, constantly angry…" the fake De Niro said. "I made everyone miserable around me."

"I feel like I've aged 20 years in the last two years," added the AI version of Roberts, claiming that she was starting to "worry about her future."

The fake O'Donnell claimed that she had been "suffering for over a decade," while the AI Goldberg said she believed she was a "lost cause."

Other stars spoofed in the 90-second clip include actors Edward Norton and John Leguizamo, both of whom have criticized the president.

Also read: Norovirus Hits Princess Cruise Ship; US CDC Reports 5th Stomach Bug Outbreak of 2026

'Doctor Trump's Treatment Plan

At the end of the video, "Doctor Trump" revealed his "treatment" plan: "Turn off fake news."

He further instructed the AI patients to: "Say your prayers and, if you ever feel anxious, just have a Diet Coke like me and you're gonna see a remarkable difference in your life."

What Is Trump Derangement Syndrome?

READ: Scientific Breakthrough: US Scientists Create First Synthetic Cell That Eats and Reproduces

Trump has often labeled his detractors as having Trump Derangement Syndrome, even claiming in the Oval Office that he had heard it "actually is a disease."

The term is an adaptation of "Bush Derangement Syndrome," which was coined by columnist Charles Krauthammer in 2003.

Krauthammer described the term as "the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidency—nay—the very existence of George W. Bush."

Trump's Health Under Scrutiny

Read More: New Book Examines Donald Trump's Health, Age Concerns; White House Responds

Trump, who became the oldest US president in history after turning 80 this year, has faced growing public scrutiny over his health.

Recent public appearances have prompted speculation after observers noted swollen ankles, bruising on his hands, verbal slips and occasional episodes in which he appeared drowsy during meetings and international summits.

Some physicians have also publicly expressed concerns about the president's physical and cognitive health, although none have diagnosed him with dementia.

But Trump has repeatedly rejected allegations of cognitive decline or other serious health issues. His most recent annual physical examination also concluded him to be "in excellent health."

The White House also maintains that: "President Trump is the sharpest and most accessible President in American history who is working nonstop to solve problems and deliver on his promises."

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