Spanish health officials deny tuberculosis outbreak in Ceuta

Spain's Secretary of State for Health, Javier Padilla, has denied reports of a tuberculosis outbreak in Ceuta, labeling the claims a ‘new hoax’. He clarified that no suspicious cases have been detected since July 30.

Padilla noted that while a Red Cross medical unit, supported by the National Institute of Health Management (Ingesa), provides assistance to migrants at Playa del Trampolín, no tuberculosis cases have been identified there. He emphasized that tuberculosis typically spreads in enclosed environments, making transmission in an open beach setting highly unlikely. He further explained that a formal outbreak requires at least two related cases, and currently, not even a single suspicious case has been found.

While five cases of tuberculosis were detected in recent weeks, Padilla specified that these were linked to previous diagnoses and ongoing treatments rather than a new outbreak. Health authorities have reinforced surveillance measures to monitor the situation. Padilla also criticized the dissemination of unverified health alerts attributed to police sources without official medical confirmation, warning of the potential consequences of spreading public health misinformation.