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.

One of the most effective ways to prevent rabies deaths could be by vaccinating dogs rather than just people before they are bitten. A new study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Southeast Asia modelled different strategies in Kerala for eradicating human rabies deaths between 2026 and 2035.

The study found that mass vaccination of dogs could bring the annual rabies deaths among people in Kerala close to zero within about three years even if 70% of the dog population were vaccinated.

On the other hand, vaccinating children before exposure to rabies was projected to prevent relatively few additional deaths at substantially higher cost.

India carries one of the worst largest rabies burdens. That's why the study could point towards a feasible and practical solution to eradicate the deadly infection.

Could Vaccinating Dogs Help?

Most human rabies deaths in India are linked to bites from infected dogs. This means that the disease can be tackled at its source by reducing transmission among dogs.

India records an estimated 9.1 million animal bites every year, with more than three-quarters caused by dogs. A 2024 estimate from the Indian Council of Medical Research's National Institute of Epidemiology estimates India's annual human rabies deaths to be about 5,726, which is an alarming public health issue.

The study puts emphasis on the fact that vaccinating a person after a bite protects that individual, whereas, vaccinating dogs reduces the probability that an infected dog will transmit rabies to many people in the first place.

Also read: Bhutan Eliminates Rabies While India Battles Persistent Deaths: What Can India Learn From Its Neighbour?

About The Study

Researchers from the University of Glasgow, Kerala's health and animal-husbandry departments, Kerala University of Health Sciences and the London School of Economics and Political Science used mathematical modelling to compare different strategies to combat rabies in Kerala.

One strategy was routine pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for children. Another focused on mass dog vaccination, while the model also considered improvements to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), the treatment given after a potentially rabid bite.

The researchers found that adding routine childhood PrEP provided minimal additional protection, preventing fewer than 10 deaths on average over a decade, while costing considerably more than strategies focused on controlling rabies transmission among dogs.

The model estimated that achieving 70% vaccination coverage among dogs could reduce annual human rabies deaths in Kerala to near zero within approximately three years.

Also read: Abhayrab Rabies Vaccine Batch Found Misbranded, ‘Not Of Standard Quality’: DCGI Alerts States

India's Alarming Rabies Situation

One of the study's striking findings was about the size of Kerala's stray-dog population. The researchers' modelling suggested that the state's actual stray-dog population could be around five times higher than official census estimates.

If vaccination programmes are based on an underestimated dog population, authorities could believe they have reached adequate coverage while a large proportion of dogs remain unvaccinated. That creates what epidemiologists call an immunity gap, allowing rabies transmission to continue.

Additionally, dog vaccination does not make human post-exposure treatment unnecessary. If a person is bitten or scratched by an animal that could have rabies, the wound should be washed thoroughly with soap and running water and medical care should be sought immediately.

Depending on the exposure, PEP can include rabies vaccine and rabies immunoglobulin (RIG). This is particularly important because rabies becomes extremely difficult to treat once symptoms begin.

The study also found that improving timely access to PEP could prevent more deaths than expanding routine pre-exposure vaccination of children.

The death of Lady Joan Branson, wife of billionaire entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson, has highlighted the risk of a blood clot after fractures that travels to the lungs.

Lady Branson, 80, died at Lister Hospital in London in November 2025 after being admitted following a fall at her home on Necker Island. An inquest heard that she had developed a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and subsequently suffered a massive pulmonary embolism (PE).

The coroner, Professor Fiona Wilcox, concluded that her death could probably have been prevented if anti-clotting treatment had been given earlier. She said: “If this lady had been given [anti-clotting medication] early on ... her death, on the balance of probability, would have been prevented.”

What exactly happens after a fracture that can make a blood clot so dangerous?

Fracture Increases The Risk Of Blood Clots

A fracture can trigger several conditions that encourage the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE), the collective term for DVT and PE.

First, injury itself activates the body's clotting system. The body naturally increases clot formation after tissue damage to prevent bleeding.

Second, a person with a fracture may become significantly less mobile. When the leg muscles are not moving normally, the muscle pump that helps push blood through the veins becomes less effective. Blood can therefore pool in the deep veins, particularly in the legs. Hospitalisation, surgery, older age, previous blood clots and certain medical conditions can add further risk.

A clot that remains in a leg vein can cause swelling and pain. But when part of it breaks and gets away, it can travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, leading to a pulmonary embolism.

Also read: 9/11 Toxic Air Exposed Thousands: What New Records Reveal 25 Years Later

How Does A DVT Become A Pulmonary Embolism?

A clot forming in a deep vein, usually in the leg, can detach and travel through the veins into the right side of the heart. From there, it can enter the pulmonary arteries, which carry blood to the lungs.

If the clot is large enough, it can obstruct blood flow through the lungs and suddenly increase pressure on the right side of the heart.

A large or massive PE can therefore cause severe breathlessness, low blood pressure, cardiac arrest and sudden death.

This is why PE can sometimes appear dramatically, even when the original DVT produced few obvious symptoms.

Also read: Small-Cell Lung Cancer Is One Of The Hardest Cancers To Treat: What This New Drug Combination Could Change

Could Blood-Thinning Medication Have Prevented Lady Branson’s Death?

According to the inquest, Lady Branson had a history of blood clots dating back to 2010, and doctors heard evidence that she had previously used anti-clotting injections.

However, she was not given enoxaparin, a low-molecular-weight heparin commonly used to prevent or treat harmful blood clots, during her hospital stay.

One doctor, Dr Inaki Bovill, told the inquest that a venous thromboembolism risk assessment should have been carried out and that the medication should have been prescribed. He said: “It is to my great regret that I did not.”

Another doctor, Dr George Adams, a consultant haematologist at Imperial College London, told the inquest that earlier anticoagulation would have made cardiac arrest less likely in her particular case.

Lady Branson's daughter, Dr Holly Branson, disputed the suggestion that her mother had refused the injections because of previous pain or bruising. She told the inquest that this was “not consistent with my knowledge of her usual practice or attitude.”

What Are The Warning Signs Of A Blood Clot?

A DVT can cause:

• Swelling, usually in one leg
• Pain or tenderness in the calf or thigh
• Warmth or redness over the affected area

A PE may cause:

• Sudden unexplained breathlessness
• Chest pain, particularly pain that worsens when breathing
• Rapid heartbeat or breathing
• Coughing up blood
• Dizziness, fainting or collapse

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Bovismorbificans infections in multiple states. According to reports, the at least infection cases are being linked to recalled broccoli sprouts across four states, including two hospitalisations. The outbreak hasn't resulted in any casualties yet.

The outbreak has been linked to broccoli sprouts grown by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC, based in Moyie Springs, Idaho. The FDA and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are investigating the outbreak with state and local health authorities.

The FDA has issued a clear warning: “Do not eat, serve, or sell recalled broccoli sprouts grown by Evergreen Fresh Sprouts, LLC.”

How Were The Broccoli Sprouts Linked To The Outbreak?

Also read: Granola Marketed For Nursing Mothers In US Recalled Over Potential Salmonella Contamination

According to the FDA, illnesses began between July 7 and August 26, 2026. Out of the 19 infected people who were interviewed by investigators, all 19 reported eating sprouts, while 17 specifically reported eating broccoli sprouts. That epidemiological pattern helped investigators identify sprouts as the likely driver of the infection.

Traceback investigations by the FDA and state partners then identified Evergreen Fresh Sprouts as the common grower of broccoli sprouts eaten by patients before they became sick.

On September 4, the company initiated a recall after Montana state officials found Salmonella in a sample of its broccoli sprout. Whole-genome sequencing showed that the Salmonella found in the product was the same strain causing illnesses in the outbreak.

The recalled products were sold in plastic bags or plastic clamshell containers and have expiration dates of September 7, 9, 11, 14 or 16, 2026.

Distribution has been confirmed in Idaho, Montana and Washington, although the FDA said the products may have reached additional states. The 22 cases are from Idaho, Montana, Utah and Washington.

What Is Salmonella And How Serious Can It Be?

Also read: Cyclospora to Alzheimer’s: Trump Administration Scales Back Key Health Research

Salmonella is a group of bacteria that can cause salmonellosis, a gastrointestinal infection usually acquired by consuming contaminated food or water.

Symptoms typically begin 12 to 72 hours after exposure and can include diarrhoea, fever and abdominal cramps. Most people recover within four to seven days without specific treatment, but some infections can become severe.

Young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of serious complications from the infection. In severe cases, Salmonella can cause dehydration or allow the bacteria to enter the bloodstream, potentially leading to invasive infection and complications affecting other organs.

Why Can Raw Sprouts Carry Salmonella?

Sprouts are grown in warm, moist conditions, which help seeds germinate but can also provide favourable conditions for bacterial growth.

The seeds themselves can become contaminated before sprouting. Once bacteria are present, the warm and humid environment used to produce sprouts can allow them to multiply. Since sprouts are often eaten raw, there may be no cooking step to eliminate the bacteria.

The current FDA investigation involves broccoli sprouts, and it is separate from another ongoing US investigation involving Salmonella and E. coli infections linked to alfalfa sprouts.

Consumers, restaurants and retailers should not eat, sell or serve the recalled Evergreen Fresh Sprouts broccoli sprouts.

The FDA also advises people who purchased or received the recalled product to carefully clean and sanitise surfaces and containers that may have come into contact with the sprouts. This is important because Salmonella can spread through cross-contamination.

Anyone who develops symptoms resembling Salmonella infection after eating the recalled sprouts should contact a healthcare provider.