Ceuta Activates Rabies Alert Following Positive Case
Health authorities in the autonomous city of Ceuta have officially declared a rabies outbreak and activated Level 1 Alert status following the laboratory confirmation of a positive rabies case in a crossbreed dog. The decision follows the established Contingency Plan for the Control of Rabies in Domestic Animals in Spain, a framework coordinated by national health ministries.
Coordinated Response and Surveillance
The activation of the protocol was solidified during a meeting at the Department of Health and Social Services in San Amaro. A Technical Support Group (GAT) has been formed to spearhead control and prevention efforts. The initiative involves a multi-agency collaboration, including the Department of Health and Social Services, Ingesa, the National Police, Local Police, the Civil Guard, and various environmental and emergency response units.
Authorities have designated the entirety of the Autonomous City of Ceuta—encompassing both urban areas and the countryside—as a restricted zone. Under the current epidemiological criteria, any domestic, wild, or feral mammal that lacks proof of vaccination or has an unknown vaccination status is now treated as a suspected case.
Key Measures for Residents and Pet Owners
To mitigate the risk of transmission, the city has implemented stringent controls on pet movement and care:
- Mandatory Leashing: All animals in public spaces must be accompanied by their owners and kept on a non-extensible leash.
- Documentation: Owners must carry proof of their pet’s health status or the digital vaccination accreditation.
- Vaccination Requirements: Annual rabies vaccination is mandatory for dogs, cats, and ferrets. This status is a prerequisite for any travel outside of Ceuta, which must be verified via the European pet passport or the DATAPETS Ceuta application.
- Public Spaces: Access to the local dog park and designated dog beach is restricted exclusively to animals with verified, up-to-date annual vaccinations.
Surveillance and Reporting
The government is intensifying the capture and monitoring of stray and wild animals, focusing specifically on areas where the infected dog was recently spotted, such as the Zurrón, the Meriníes Walls, the local football field, and surrounding open lands.
The public plays a critical role in these control efforts. Citizens are required to report any dead carnivorous animal—whether domestic or wild—found in public or natural spaces immediately to the 112 emergency service. This allows authorities to safely collect samples for diagnostic testing, provided the remains are not in an advanced state of decomposition.
Long-Term Outlook
These measures are effective immediately and are scheduled to remain in place for a minimum of six months, or until the outbreak is officially declared extinguished. Failure to comply with these health mandates, such as neglecting mandatory vaccinations or failing to follow leash requirements, may result in serious administrative sanctions under the Animal Health Law.
According to current data from the SIACE system, the city manages a registered domestic animal population of over 15,000, including nearly 7,000 dogs and approximately 8,900 cats. Owners are urged to ensure their animals’ records are current to support the city-wide effort to contain the spread of the virus.
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