On Thursday, Uganda confirmed an outbreak of the Ebola virus in its capital city Kampala, with the first confirmed patient dying from it a day before. As per the new developments, the officials are now preparing to deploy a trial vaccine to put an end to this outbreak.

Groups of scientists are working on the vaccine and deployment of more than 2,000 doses of a candidate vaccine against the Sudan strain of Ebola has been planned and confirmed by the Uganda Virus Research Institute. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), Uganda has access to 2,169 doses of trial vaccine. For now, however, there are no approved vaccines for the strain and officials are still investigating the source of the outbreak.

The WHO had also allocated $1 million from its contingency fund for emergencies to support quick action and contain the outbreak in the country.

Confirmed Case

On Wednesday, the Sudan strain of Ebola killed a nurse employed at Kampala's main referral hospital. It is after his death that Ebola was declared an outbreak in the country. Post-mortem samples too have confirmed the Sudan Ebola Virus Disease and at least 44 contacts of the deceased man have been listed for tracing. 30 of these are health workers.

Ebola is a highly infectious hemorrhagic fever, which is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids and tissue. Symptoms include headache, vomiting of blood, muscle pains and bleeding.

it was in the late 2022, when Uganda had last suffered an Ebola outbreak. It killed 55 of the 143 people who were infected and was declared over on January 11, 2023.

What Is Ebola Virus Disease?

As per the WHO, Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a rare but severe illness in humans and is often fatal. People can get infected with the virus if they touch an infected animal when preparing food, or touch body fluids of an infected person such as saliva, urine, faeces or semen, or things that have body fluids of an infected person like clothes or sheets.

How Does Transmission Work?

Ebola enters the body through cuts in the skin or when one is touching their eyes, nose or mouth. Early symptoms include fever, fatigue and headache.

It was first discovered in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreak, when in Nzara, South Sudan and other in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter occurred near a village near the Ebola River, which is where it gets its name from.

It is highly infectious and transmissible disease, in fact, there have been cases of health-care workers who have frequently been infected while treating patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola. This occurs through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not practiced strictly.

Cases of people conducted burial ceremonies, involving direct contact with the body of the deceased too can lead to the transmission of Ebola. Even after the long suffering and recovery, there is a possibility of sexual transmission. Pregnant women who get acute Ebola and recover may still carry the virus in their breastmilk, or in pregnancy related fluids and tissues.

Symptoms:

• feeling tired
• headache
• muscle and joint pain
• eye pain and vision problems
• weight gain
• belly pain and loss of appetite
• hair loss and skin problems
• trouble sleeping
• memory loss
• hearing loss
• depression and anxiety

The US continues to report food recalls and foodborne illness investigations involving a range of products, from salsa, guacamole and lettuce to fruit bars, eggs, nut butter and even dog food. Recent recalls have been linked to pathogens including Salmonella, Listeria and E. coli, as well as foreign-material contamination.

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), about 48 million cases of foodborne illness occur in the US each year — equivalent to about 1 in 6 Americans. These illnesses result in an estimated 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths annually.

Foodborne Illness Investigations Rise

Between 2021 and 2025, the FDA investigated an average of about 25 foodborne illness outbreaks each year. This year, the agency has already posted 20 investigations and says work remains active for 18 foodborne illness clusters.

There have been about 10,500 cases of foodborne illness associated with outbreaks so far this year, according to data from the FDA and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The annual average has been 1,500 cases between 2021 and 2025.

The vast majority of these cases are linked to fresh jalapeños associated with a multistate Salmonella outbreak and fresh lettuce from Taylor Farms linked to Cyclospora.

Also read: Amid Cyclospora, Salmonella Outbreaks, US FDA Issues Guidance on Ready-to-Eat Produce

Here is a look at some of the other foods recently recalled or linked to contamination concerns in the US.

• Outshine Fruit Bars: Select Outshine Fruit Bars were recalled over concerns they may contain pieces of glass, posing a potential injury risk.
• Pillsbury Bread Rolls: General Mills recalled nearly 736,000 Pillsbury rolls due to possible glass contamination. The recall included 3,080 cases of Pillsbury Bread Rolls “Hard Roll Dough.”
• Oma’s Pride Dog Food: A lot of Oma’s Pride frozen dog food was recalled after testing found Salmonella contamination, which can affect both pets and people.
• Lacnola Lactation Granola: The granola was recalled over possible Salmonella contamination linked to moringa powder used in the product.
• Pastrami & Corned Beef: Ready-to-eat pastrami and corned beef products were recalled over concerns about possible Listeria contamination.
• Chicken Salad: A chicken salad product was subject to a public health alert because it may be contaminated with Listeria, a potentially serious foodborne pathogen.
• Shell Eggs: Nearly 1.59 million dozen eggs were recalled because they may be contaminated with Salmonella Enteritidis.

Why Are There So Many Foodborne Illnesses?

Read More: US Foodborne Illnesses Surge: Salmonella Hits 431, Cyclospora Cases Top 15,700

While FDA investigations into the outbreaks are underway, top Trump health officials have said that the US food supply remains safe and that fresh produce is safe to eat. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told reporters last month that the situation was “under control.”

However, experts blamed federal funding cuts under the Trump administration, which reduced budgets for food inspections by federal agencies and grants to state and local health departments that conduct traceback investigations to determine where outbreaks originate.

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seeking more information about what she called the administration’s “calamitous” response to the cyclosporiasis outbreak and expressing concern that politics could be to blame.

The number of outbreak investigations “represents an increase from previous years,” the FDA said in an email to CNN. The agency said it is constantly working to improve laboratory detection of foodborne illness and that stronger surveillance efforts can lead to increased detection. It also noted that ensuring food safety is a shared responsibility across the global supply chain.

Warren said the administration’s handling of the outbreak had been marked by missteps that raised questions about its decision-making.

More: Nearly 40,000 Bottles Of Popular Eye Drops Recalled Due To Potential Contamination

How To Stay Safe

To stay safe, the best way to avoid the foodborne illness is to:

• Discard or return any recalled products.
• Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water, even if labeled pre-washed.
• Avoid bagged greens when possible.
• Cook produce whenever possible; a temperature of 158 degrees Fahrenheit is the most effective way.
• Follow safe food-handling practices and stay updated on food recalls.

A 32-year-old man from Visakhapatnam was treated repeatedly for suspected tuberculosis for nearly six years before doctors diagnosed him with a rare inflammatory disease called Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease.

The man complained of recurrent swelling of his lymph nodes and was treated for tuberculosis despite the symptoms continuing to return.

In 2026, he was treated at KIMS Hospitals after developing a painful swelling in his right armpit. A lymph-node biopsy eventually led to the diagnosis of Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease.

The case highlights a concerning but noteworthy issue of misdiagnosis, especially when a rare condition resembles infections like TB and even certain cancers.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease Affects Lymph Nodes

It is most commonly seen in young adults and frequently involves the lymph nodes in the neck. It is characterised by fever and tender lymph-node swelling. Some patients may also experience fatigue, weight loss, night sweats, or skin rashes.

The exact cause of the disease is still unknown. Researchers have proposed that infections may trigger an abnormal immune response, but no single infectious agent has been established as the cause.

Also read: TB Usually Attacks The Lungs, But It Can Affect The Skin Too- 1.5% People Are Living With The Struggle

Kikuchi Disease Can Be Mistaken For TB And Cancer

The condition can be particularly difficult to distinguish from other causes of enlarged lymph nodes. In countries like India, where tuberculosis is common, TB lymphadenitis is widely suspected when someone develops persistent or recurrent lymph-node swelling.

Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease can present with similar symptoms and inflammatory changes. There have been documented cases in which KFD was initially mistaken for tuberculosis. It can also resemble lymphoma and lymph-node involvement associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Kikuchi disease is not cancer, but its presentation can sometimes look similar to lymphoma, particularly when a patient has persistent lymph-node enlargement. This is one reason doctors may need a biopsy rather than relying only on symptoms or imaging.

Also read: Every Cough Or Episode Of Breathlessness Is Not Asthma

How Is Kikuchi Disease Diagnosed?

There is no specific blood test that can definitively diagnose Kikuchi-Fujimoto disease. Doctors generally rely on histopathological examination of an affected lymph node, usually following an excisional biopsy.

Under the microscope, characteristic areas of necrosis and specific immune cells called histiocytes and plasmacytoid dendritic cells can help establish the diagnosis. The absence of certain inflammatory cells, particularly neutrophils, also helps distinguish KFD from some infections. This is noteworthy as just the presence of an enlarged lymph node cannot reveal its underlying cause.

Symptoms of this disease generally improve without aggressive treatment, and with supportive care, including medicines to control pain and fever. Corticosteroids may be considered in severe or complicated cases.

However, patients diagnosed with KFD may need follow-up as it is associated with autoimmune conditions, particularly systemic lupus erythematosus.

Vizag Case Puts Focus On The Importance Of Reassessment

The Visakhapatnam man's prolonged treatment for suspected TB illustrates the difficulty of diagnosing rare inflammatory diseases when their symptoms overlap with more common conditions.

Persistent or recurring lymph-node swelling despite treatment should prompt doctors to reassess the diagnosis and consider other possibilities, including inflammatory disorders, autoimmune disease and malignancy.

Continuing its biggest food safety crackdown in years, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) inspected Pernod Ricard’s plant in Bengaluru.

While FSSAI officials have not issued any adverse findings against Pernod, they reportedly collected samples of Blenders Pride and Royal Stag whisky for testing.

“Regulatory inspections are an established part of the industry's compliance framework, and we are working constructively with the authorities,” Pernod said in a statement to Reuters. The French company added that it maintains robust quality and safety standards.

FSSAI Inspects Pernod Plant

FSSAI officials inspected the Pernod plant over two days, collected liquor samples for testing and sought some documentation.

According to Pernod, Blenders Pride is among its top premium blended whiskies in India, while Royal Stag is the first whisky in India not to use any artificial flavourings.

Also read: After FDA Crackdowns, Karnataka Launches QR Code To Report Food & Drug Safety Violations Instantly

FSSAI's Visit to Diageo Plant

The inspection comes close on the heels of FSSAI’s visit to Diageo’s plant, also in Bengaluru. The regulator seized around 18,000 boxes of whisky and vodka bottles, citing the alleged lack of markings showing that the bottles were made using safe, food-grade recycled plastic, Reuters reported.

It also flagged issues over labelling and the alleged addition of whisky flavouring to its whiskies.

FSSAI Widens Food Safety Crackdown

The food standards regulator has stepped up enforcement across packaged foods, edible oils, sweeteners, high-caffeine beverages and energy drink makers, including PepsiCo, with the drive gathering pace since July.

In recent weeks, FSSAI has acted against or scrutinized products and companies over misleading claims, hygiene and food-safety violations, non-compliant ingredients, labelling issues and failure to meet prescribed standards.

The latest in the list includes companies such as Amway India, Emami and Bonn Biscuits, which were pulled up by the food regulator over the use of the term “100%” on food labels, packaging and promotional or advertising materials where such claims could mislead consumers.

Read More: From Liquor to Dabur to VKC Nuts, FSSAI Crackdown Puts Food Safety in Focus: Why It Matters

Companies Remove ‘100%’ Claims

Following the intervention, six companies — Bonn Biscuits, Emami, Apis India, Amway India, Juza Foods and Masterchow Foods — took corrective action and removed “100%” claims from their products or advertisements.

• Emami withdrew the “100%” claim for its Zhandu Honey product.
• Apis India removed similar “100%” claims from its honey products.
• Bonn Biscuits removed the claim from a Jeera Bite advertisement for Bonn Cummin Flavor Jeera Bite Biscuits, 76 gm.
• Juza Foods in Kerala removed “100%” claims from various baby food products.
• Masterchow Foods Pvt Ltd withdrew the claim from its Ramen Noodle product.

Previous Crackdowns

FSSAI has also taken action against energy drink makers and alcoholic beverage manufacturers over regulatory violations.

More recently, the food regulator tightened packaging rules for pan masala. Under the new Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Amendment Regulations, 2026, notified on August 10, pan masala packaging can no longer use plastic-based materials, plastic laminates, aluminium foil or metallized layers.

Pan masala can now be packaged in materials made of paper, paperboard, cellulose and other naturally derived materials, provided they are completely free from plastic and synthetic polymers. Tin and glass containers are also allowed.

FSSAI also warned influencers to ensure, before endorsing a food product, that the claims made “are truthful, verifiable & compliant with the law.”

“With great influence comes great responsibility! Promoting misleading or unverified food claims can attract legal consequences,” it said.