"We received a report about this case from the health ministry yesterday and officials will be visiting tattoo parlours today to verify this claim," Bali health department chief Nyoman Sutedja told AFP.[break]
"At this point, we are still investigating. We can´t say for sure if the patient caught the virus from getting a tattoo or sexual contact," he added.
There are currently 4,200 HIV/AIDS cases on Bali, Sutedja said.
Australian health authorities on Friday said a patient diagnosed with HIV probably contracted the virus while being tattooed on the island. They did not reveal any details of the individual concerned.
More than a million tourists visit Bali every year to enjoy its white, surf beaches, nightlife and Hindu culture.
Indonesian officials said last year that the number of known HIV/AIDS cases on Bali was soaring, with one in four prostitutes reported to be HIV-positive and the number of infections jumping almost 19 percent from the year before.
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