Beaches Reopen After Medical Waste Cleanup

Several beaches in Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia were temporarily closed due to medical waste, including needles, washing ashore. The closures affected popular destinations like Ocean City and Assateague Island, prompting emergency services to conduct beach sweeps and investigations into the waste's source. After nearly a week of closures, officials announced that Ocean City and Assateague Island would reopen for swimming, confirming that no further waste was being found after extensive cleanups and testing indicated normal water levels. However, the North End of Assateague Island remains closed as cleanup continues, and visitors are still advised to exercise caution. Meanwhile, in South Africa, the Garden Route Municipality reported similar incidents of medical and food products washing up on local beaches, attributed to shipping containers lost at sea during hazardous conditions. Residents were urged to report any sightings of debris and to refrain from using any recovered items.