Feijóo Highlights Ceuta 'Public Health Crisis,' Proposes Migrant Confinement

Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the leader of Spain's opposition, has intensified criticism regarding the public health situation in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa. He pointed to a "public health crisis" exacerbated by the mass arrival of migrants on July 30 and 31, which left thousands in the city's streets, many in overcrowded conditions lacking basic hygiene.

Feijóo, who also leads the People's Party (PP), called on Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's government to study the possibility of "confining" migrants diagnosed with infectious diseases, such as scabies or tuberculosis. This stance has drawn sharp criticism from the national government.

Minister of Health Mónica García dismissed Feijóo's proposal as "unjustified" and "disproportionate." She reminded him that public health competencies lie with the regional government of Ceuta, currently led by PP's Juan Jesús Vivas. García stressed that the most urgent priorities are providing shelter, hygiene, and basic sanitation for the migrants. "If Mr. Feijóo wants to help, he should ask the city government of Ceuta for the immediate transfer of all available spaces to house these people in a sanitary manner," she stated on social media platform X.

The Spanish Society of Epidemiology previously urged against blaming migrants for disease spread. Ceuta, a city of 83,000 inhabitants on a mere 20 square kilometers, faces significant space constraints. Both the central and autonomous governments are struggling to find and prepare temporary reception facilities amid local resistance. Recent efforts include relocating 1,800 migrants from Playa del Trampolín to two new sites, Loma Margarita and Loma Colmenar, with three more spaces being prepared. The city is also working to house an estimated 2,500 unaccompanied minors among the migrant population.

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If Mr. Feijóo wants to help, he should ask the city government of Ceuta for the immediate transfer of all available spaces to house these people in a sanitary manner.