The Port of Algeciras has adopted new health control measures regarding domestic animals after the detection of a rabies case in Ceuta. This decision responds to the activation of alert level 1 by the Ministry of Health and Social Services of the Ceuta government, after a dog that bit a minor was confirmed to be infected. The health response is framed within the Contingency Plan for the Control of Rabies in Domestic Animals in Spain, prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food.
From the Port Authority of the Bay of Algeciras, in coordination with veterinary and health services, the obligation to present a valid health booklet or passport for all dogs, cats, and ferrets traveling between Ceuta and Algeciras has been established. Additionally, surveillance of these animals' movements has been intensified, with special attention to trips originating from the Autonomous City.
For its part, the Ceuta government has decreed several preventive restrictions in light of the risk of virus spread. These include the temporary suspension of hunting activities, the closure of the dog park, and the imposition of mandatory vaccination for animals under 12 months or that have not received the corresponding annual revaccination.
The Ministry of Health of Ceuta has emphasized that the current rabies vaccination is the main tool to prevent the disease and avoid its spread, urging citizens to actively collaborate and comply with the established regulations, both in urban areas and in maritime transit.
Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease that affects the central nervous system and is primarily transmitted through bites. In Spain, although the disease is officially eradicated, protocols for active surveillance are maintained, especially in areas considered at risk, such as Ceuta and Melilla, due to their geographical proximity to regions where the virus remains endemic.