A passion for tattoos has led to serious consequences for one woman in Kanpur. After getting a tattoo at a parlor in Delhi, she developed symptoms of infection. When the woman sought treatment at the GSVM medical college, testing confirmed her HIV infection.
Initially, the woman consulted doctors complaining of an infection in the genital area (genital infectious process). Given her condition, medics conducted tests for HIV and Hepatitis B, which revealed HIV infection. According to doctors, the potential cause of the infection could be a contaminated or insufficiently sterilized needle used during the tattooing process.
The woman began receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) at a government hospital. Medical staff urged people who get tattoos to exercise particular vigilance regarding hygiene and safety standards. Dr. Shwetank, a dermatologist from GSVM medical college, told 'AajTak' that the woman approached him about a week ago after developing a severe genital infection following the procedure in Delhi.
After receiving the test results, the presence of HIV infection was confirmed. Doctors emphasize that an unsafe needle used for tattooing can be a significant factor in the spread of infection. The woman's treatment started through the ART center, which is provided free of charge by the state. Although there is no definitive cure for HIV yet, regular medication intake and adherence to precautions allow infected individuals to lead normal lives.
In addition to the risk of contracting HIV or infections, doctors warn that tattoos can cause various skin problems. Dyes used in tattoos can trigger allergic reactions and other skin reactions in many people. Granulomatous type reactions and foreign body reactions are particularly often observed when using red and green inks, which can manifest as red blisters, itching, and pain on the skin.
Dr. Shwetank strongly advises young people and tattoo enthusiasts not to rush into the procedure anywhere. According to the doctors, even minor carelessness during tattooing can lead to serious health threats, making it crucial to pay attention to safety alongside fashion and style.
The food safety system in the province of Gauteng has been deemed fundamentally compromised due to systemic administrative shortcomings, corruption, and weak oversight, leaving communities vulnerable to contaminated food. These findings were disclosed on Friday by Ombudsman Kholeki Gqaleka following a comprehensive investigation initiated after the 2024 food poisoning crisis, which resulted in the deaths of at least 23 children across the country.
Among the victims of the crisis were six children from Naledi, Soweto, who consumed snacks contaminated with the highly toxic pesticide Terbufos purchased from a local spaza shop. These tragedies sparked nationwide outrage, prompted increased state supervision over informal food businesses, and led to mandatory licensing of spaza shops and other measures to tighten food safety controls.
Despite the measures taken, Gqaleka found that Gauteng lacks the necessary capacity to effectively enforce food safety laws. The report indicates that the province does not have the proper jurisdiction to monitor the practices of informal vendors, including spaza shops, traders, street vendors, and school feeding programs.
The investigation revealed that the provincial regulatory system failed to protect consumers due to fragmented governance, weak enforcement measures, outdated legislation, corruption, chronic staff shortages, and insufficient coordination between departments. Gqaleka concluded that the Gauteng province is rife with unsafe food handling practices and remains susceptible to poisoning and contamination risks.
The Ombudsman warned that without addressing these issues, Gauteng communities will remain vulnerable to future poisoning outbreaks. These governance gaps create fertile ground for the growth of unregistered informal traders who do not meet required hygiene and safety standards, thereby constantly increasing the risk of uncontrolled poisoning incidents in Gauteng.
One of the most alarming discoveries was the scale of non-compliance in Gauteng's informal food sector. Only 5% of spaza shops in Ekurhuleni are licensed, compared to 14% in Johannesburg and 30% in Tshwane. In other areas of Gauteng, the compliance rate is only 28%. Gqaleka found that for every licensed or permitted spaza shop in the province, there are nearly three unlicensed ones still operating.
Inspectors also identified widespread violations of food safety rules, including expired and spoiled products, repackaged and unlabeled goods, rodent infestation, poor hygiene, storing food on floors and against walls, as well as repeated instances of businesses failing to comply even after receiving official notices.
The report also points to corruption and the use of businesses as a cover as primary factors in the crisis. The document mentions identified and confirmed cases of foreign nationals using businesses. Furthermore, it was established that some South African citizens allegedly assisted foreigners in illegally running businesses. The report also recorded 'confirmed possible cases of corruption, fraud, and false declaration involving local citizens assisting and encouraging illegal immigrants.'
These findings emerged amid growing tension surrounding immigration and informal trade in Gauteng. The investigation showed that foreigners constituted the majority among applicants during the national spaza shop registration drive, but it emphasized that weak regulation, poor control, and systemic administrative failures allowed non-compliance to become widespread.
According to the report, 67% of applications in Ekurhuleni came from foreigners, 64% in Johannesburg, and 41% in Tshwane. Overall, about 56% of the registered spaza shops mentioned in the report are run by foreigners. Nevertheless, Gqaleka concluded that the main problem is not ownership, but the government's inability to effectively regulate this sector.
The report also highlighted a severe shortage of Environmental Health Practitioners (EHPs), noting that municipalities simply do not have enough inspectors to monitor food establishments. Johannesburg has only 240 EHPs for a population of approximately 4.8 million, which corresponds to about 50% of the recommended staffing level. Ekurhuleni operates at a compliance rate of only about 23%, and Tshwane also lags significantly behind the recommended ratio of one practitioner per 10,000 residents.
The Ombudsman concluded that this staff deficit significantly weakened the municipalities' ability to inspect food premises, investigate complaints, and ensure adherence to food safety legislation. The investigation also covered Gauteng schools participating in the National School Nutrition Programme. It was found that 611 schools lacked adequate kitchen infrastructure, and only 262 schools possessed valid Certificates of Acceptability. Another 1413 schools operated without mandatory certificates.
Among the directives issued by Gqaleka, she instructed the Gauteng Governor, Panyashe Lesufi, to coordinate a province-wide response to address the identified systemic problems. Recommendations include strengthening collaboration between provincial departments and municipalities, increasing the number of environmental health practitioners and inspectors, improving the enforcement of food safety legislation, tightening oversight of licensing and registration systems, and enhancing the regulation of hazardous pesticides and providing reports on the progress of corrective measures.
In response to these findings, Gauteng government spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga stated that the provincial government has accepted the report and intends to implement the Ombudsman's recommendations. He noted that the report is useful because all involved state bodies are now obligated to jointly address the issue.
The African Transformation Movement (ATM), whose parliamentary complaint in October 2024 prompted the investigation, stated that the findings confirm long-standing concerns about the government's inability to enforce existing laws. ATM leader Vuyo Zungula stated that the report demonstrated a 'South African state that is steadily losing control over the application of its own laws.' He stressed that the tragedy occurred due to the state's failure to apply these laws.
The report comes amidst renewed public concerns about food safety. Residents in several Gauteng communities are taking matters into their own hands, closing spaza shops they believe operate illegally or sell unsafe food. Residents in areas such as Cosmo City and parts of Soweto have held protests, asserting that the government has failed to deliver on its promises regarding safety standards following the 2024 tragedy.
U.S. federal health agencies are investigating whether shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms from California is the source of a widespread cyclosporosis outbreak that has affected more than 1,600 people across 34 states, although a definitive link has not yet been confirmed.
On Friday, U.S. officials identified the source of the food parasite causing diarrhea as shredded iceberg lettuce used in the Taco Bell fast-food chain. A federal investigation conducted by the Food and Drug Administration traced the contamination back to a single iceberg supplier from Mexico that provided to Taco Bell restaurants in five states, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
The CDC reported that over 1,644 people in five states—Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia—have been confirmed infected with cyclosporosis, which can cause 'explosive diarrhea' and other symptoms. The health agency specified that cases related to this outbreak have not resulted in deaths, but 94 hospitalizations were recorded. The CDC emphasized that these illnesses were laboratory-confirmed and directly linked to the outbreak at Taco Bell locations in the specified states, noting that this figure does not include all cyclosporosis cases caused by other factors.
Although the CDC did not name the supplier, The Washington Post reported, citing sources familiar with the investigation, that Taylor Farms, which has production facilities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, sold the lettuce. Federal officials issued a warning against consuming shredded iceberg lettuce from Taco Bell in the five affected states. In response, Taco Bell stated that it had taken immediate steps to voluntarily remove potentially contaminated lettuce from the supplier in certain states.
The company added that 'the affected ingredient from our supplier will be permanently removed from our supply chain nationwide and replaced within 24 hours in specific states.' Taco Bell also stated its position, saying: 'We believe that public health is a shared responsibility of restaurants, their suppliers, and authorities, and we are proud to have acted quickly and proactively to protect our guests.'
Untreated, cyclosporosis can persist for over a month. Although it is usually not life-threatening, it can cause dehydration. Previously, cyclosporosis has been linked to products such as packaged salad mixes, fresh cilantro, fresh basil, raspberries, peas, and onions. Experts nationwide advise thoroughly washing vegetables or, even better, cooking them, as temperatures above 158°F (70°C) kill the parasite.
Michigan has been particularly hard hit by cyclosporosis this year, with state authorities reporting over 5,000 cases. The FDA cautioned that individual state data often differs from national surveillance figures because states may count both probable and confirmed cases, and there is a delay between reporting and updating national data.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has exceeded 2,100 confirmed cases and is the fastest-growing epidemic of this type in history, according to WHO data released on Thursday.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted at a press briefing in Geneva that armed conflict, general instability, and community resistance are hindering access to affected areas, which limits the effectiveness of response measures. He warned that the virus spread continues to outpace control efforts, despite significant progress in treatment, research, and surveillance.
According to the latest report from Congolese health authorities, the country has recorded 828 deaths. The epidemic, declared on May 15, has spread from the initial focus in the country's northeastern region to five provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, and Tshopo. Ituri accounts for nearly 90% of all confirmed infections. Health workers are also closely monitoring the risk of regional spread after a confirmed case was detected in Mahagi, a health zone on the border with Uganda. Ghebreyesus emphasized that this outbreak is the third largest Ebola epidemic in world history and is developing at unprecedented rates.
WHO expressed particular concern that over 80% of new identified infections are not linked to known contacts, indicating the presence of undetected transmission chains. Approximately two-thirds of deaths occur in communities before patients can receive medical care. Despite these difficulties, response capabilities have significantly increased: healthcare facilities now have over 800 beds, and laboratory capacity has grown from one lab at the start of the outbreak to 16 labs in the affected regions. As of mid-July, 725 patients were hospitalized or isolated, and 390 people recovered, although some treatment centers remain overcrowded.
Research into new anti-epidemic agents is also advancing. Clinical trials are evaluating the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, and studies on vaccines and post-exposure antiviral treatment have recently begun. Ghebreyesus strongly urged the international community to increase financial support, warning that the joint preparedness and response plan of WHO and the African Centre for Disease Control and Prevention faces a funding deficit exceeding $400 million. Meanwhile, the Ebola outbreak in Uganda is approaching official conclusion after the discharge of the last confirmed patient, although cross-border movement remains a serious problem for the DRC.
