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.

The Telangana Government today announced a partnership with pharma giant AstraZeneca India to bring artificial intelligence (AI)-powered lung cancer screening to public hospitals in the state.

The collaboration aims to strengthen early detection and improve outcomes for patients in both urban and rural areas.

Under the MoU, AstraZeneca will facilitate the deployment of Qure.ai's AI-powered chest X-ray solution to be integrated into routine workflows at public health facilities across Telangana.

The technology will help clinicians flag the high-risk pulmonary nodules, a predominant precursor of lung cancer, along with 29 other lung conditions.

The high-risk patients will be triaged for lung cancer confirmation or future follow-up to ensure the stage shift of lung cancer at diagnosis. A similar model has already been adopted in Goa, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.

“Telangana is witnessing a steady rise in cancer cases, and late diagnosis due to limited screening uptake remains a major challenge. This collaboration integrates technology into routine public healthcare to bridge gaps in access and capacity and reflects our continued focus on building a more proactive, future-ready health system,” said Dr. S. Sangeetha Satyanarayana, Commissioner of Health & Family Welfare Directorate, Government of Telangana.

The initiative is expected to roll out across 20 public health facilities, covering urban and rural health systems. It includes training and upskilling of healthcare professionals to support effective and sustainable adoption, as well as infrastructure enhancements where needed to ensure seamless integration into the public health system.

Lung Cancer burden in India

Lung cancer is among the most pressing public health challenges in India today. National incidence is projected to rise from approximately 63,700 cases in 2015 to over 81,200 by 2025, a 27 percent increase over the decade, driven by tobacco use, environmental pollution, and critically, the near absence of routine screening.

Between 80 and 85 percent of patients present with advanced, incurable disease at the time of diagnosis, contributing to nearly 60,000 deaths from lung cancer each year. The disease is also no longer confined to smokers: cases among non-smokers are rising by 30 to 40 percent, making broad, population-level detection efforts increasingly important.

Telangana reflects these national pressures acutely.

The state is projected to record 46,762 new cancer cases among adults in 2026, rising to 47,314 by 2030, an estimated 13 percent increase by 2027.

Women bear a disproportionate share, with 25,510 new cases expected this year against 21,252 in men.

According to the Telangana Cancer Burden Profile 2026, published by ICMR-NCDIR, one in six women in Hyderabad faces the risk of developing cancer in her lifetime; one in eight men is likely to receive a cancer diagnosis before the age of 74.

The Role Of Early Detection

Low awareness, cost barriers, and limited access in rural areas compound the challenge, frequently delaying diagnosis until the disease has progressed beyond curative treatment.

Early detection changes this equation fundamentally. Screening programs that identify lung cancer at earlier stages can make curative therapies available to a significantly larger proportion of patients, improving survival outcomes and reducing the overall burden on the health system.

“Early detection plays a defining role in improving cancer outcomes, particularly in diseases like lung cancer, where diagnosis often happens at advanced stages,” said Praveen Rao Akkinepally, Country President & Managing Director, AstraZeneca Pharma India.

Mojtaba Khamenei, the newly appointed supreme leader of Iran, has been ‘incapacitated’, according to a media report.

The UK-based The Times reported that Mojtaba Khamenei is critically ill and is unable to govern and has thus been placed under medical care in the religious city of Qom.

The report cited a diplomatic memo, based on US and Israeli intelligence, which indicates that Mojtaba Khamenei is unconscious and in a “severe” condition.

Meanwhile, Iranian authorities have acknowledged that Khamenei was wounded in the same airstrike that killed his father, former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, along with close family members on the opening day of the war. Since then, he has not appeared publicly.

Earlier, US President Donald Trump also reiterated claims that Mojtaba Khamenei could be dead or seriously injured, saying there has been no public confirmation of his condition, Financial Times reported.

What Does The Term ‘Incapacitated’ Mean Medically?

The Journal of Family Practice explains that being incapacitated “is the clinical state in which a patient is unable to participate in a meaningful way”. The condition can be both physical or mental.

It includes:

• Loss of physical mobility: unable to move, walk, or perform basic tasks
• Cognitive Decline
• Severe illness or injury
• Coma,
• Advanced dementia,
• Severe mental illness,
• Delirium.

Who Is Mojtaba Khamenei

The 56-year-old Mojtaba Khamenei is the son of former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli strike on February 28 -- the first day of the ongoing war.

He was elevated to the position of his father on March 8 after Iran’s Assembly of Experts—the clerical body responsible for appointing the supreme leader—formally selected him as successor amid wartime conditions.

Since his appointment, Mojtaba has not appeared at any funeral for senior commanders killed in the strikes, issued no video messages, and released no photographs.

However, Israeli media i24NEWS quoted sources who said Mojtaba Khamenei does not control Iran and "most likely, the Revolutionary Guards control the state”.

A viral video of the new Supreme Leader shows him walking into a war room and analyzing a map of Israel’s nuclear power plant in Dimona has been debunked as AI-generated.

Is Incapacitation A Serious Health Condition?

An individual who is incapacitated requires urgent care, as the person is at significant risk of

• organ failure,
• brain damage,
• infections,
• long-term disability even after recovery.

Former US President Woodrow Wilson

The vaccine-preventable measles, a deadly infectious disease, has claimed the lives of 98 children in Bangladesh, in the country’s one of the worst outbreaks, media reports said.

According to the latest data from the country’s Ministry of Health, the number of children aged six months to five years old with suspected measles symptoms has soared to 6,476, AFP News Agency reported

“Compared with past years, the number of affected children is higher, and the death toll is higher too,” Halimur Rashid, director at Communicable Disease Control, was quoted as saying.

The largest number of suspected cases on record was in 2005 at 25,934, according to World Health Organization (WHO) data. That number had significantly declined in succeeding years until this year.

Measles Outbreak: Emergency Vaccination Drive

Official data show that in 2026, more than 2,300 children were admitted to the hospital with suspected measles.

The outbreak has also prompted the government to roll out a vaccination program for younger children in a bid to halt the outbreak. The emergency vaccination drive will be launched in 18 high-risk districts, and will also be expanded from May 3 to cover the entire country.

Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said 10 of the total 94 measles-related deaths occurred in 24 hours ending at 8 am Sunday, even as the number of suspected measles cases detected grew to 5,792 during the 19 days, 974 of them since Saturday.

"The highly infectious disease has seen a sharp rise this year, particularly since March," a DGHS statement said, attributing the phenomenon to the vaccination gap last year, PTI reported.

The officials noted that the disease is spreading rapidly and has affected 56 out of 64 administrative districts.

Health Minister Sardar Shakhawat Hossain Bakul said the emergency vaccination drive would cover the "worst affected areas" before being expanded throughout Bangladesh.

What Is Measles?

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads through direct contact or through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Symptoms typically appear seven to 14 days after exposure and may include:

• high fever,
• cough,
• runny nose,
• red eyes,
• rashes across the body.

Measles And Vaccination

The reports of deaths from Bangladesh indicate the presence of a significant 'immunity gap,” allowing the virus to take hold.

How Does Measles Spread

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads rapidly through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

Crowded living conditions, poor ventilation, and low immunity levels increase the risk of transmission.

In addition to incomplete or missed vaccination, lack of awareness, and malnutrition (especially vitamin A deficiency) contribute to outbreaks.

How To Stay Safe

To safeguard against measles, individuals should:

• Ensure timely vaccination, especially for children.
• Maintaining good hygiene, such as frequent handwashing and covering the mouth while coughing or sneezing
• Avoiding close contact with infected individuals
• Eensure proper nutrition to boost immunity
• Public awareness and community health programs also play a crucial role.