The government has responded to Vox by asserting that immigration is not the cause of any potential resurgences of contagious diseases in Spain. It emphasises that Spanish-born residents accounted for more than 80% of the measles cases detected in the nation between 2014 and 2022. The data presented in this response serves to disprove a fraudulent assertion made by the far-right party, which linked the resurgence in cases in the Community of Madrid and the province of Alicante to “mass immigration.” An outbreak of measles occurred at a solitary workplace in a city block in Alicante earlier this year, affecting over thirty individuals, primarily between the ages of 35 and 45.
The initial instances of this contagion were documented at the conclusion of January. Health authorities administered booster immunisations to the contacts of those affected to prevent further transmission in workplaces and families, as the incubation period for measles is between seven and fourteen days. Additionally, they conducted a study on approximately 500 contacts of the infected.
The anti-vaccine movement was identified as the cause of the increase in cases in Alicante by physicians.
Doctors in Alicante who were consulted by this newspaper at the time associated the outbreak with the anti-vaccine movement. Measles can be hazardous to adults, as it can result in severe complications such as pneumonia or encephalitis.
According to public health specialists, it is highly contagious and can be transmitted through the respiratory system and over long distances. Consequently, it is not permissible to regard it as a malady of the past. The MMR vaccine, which comprises vaccinations against rubella, mumps, and measles, is administered to infants aged twelve to fifteen months in Spain. Vaccination was authorised in 1977. However, there are adults between the ages of 35 and 45/50 who were either not vaccinated or only partially vaccinated, despite the fact that many individuals over the age of 50 contracted the disease naturally and subsequently developed antibodies.
Enquire
The government of Pedro Sánchez has responded to a parliamentary question from Vox. The question challenged the government by stating that measles cases have “increased significantly in Alicante and Madrid” since the beginning of the year and asked if “mass immigration can cause the return of eradicated diseases.”
Vox concentrated its inquiry to the Government on the rise in measles cases and requested clarifications on the causes of the surge and the characteristics of the individuals affected. The inquiry also focused on the nationality, vaccination status, and immigration status of those affected since 2023, with a particular emphasis on both legal and undocumented migrants.
Epidemiological surveillance
The party led by Santiago Abascal also enquired about the measures that will be implemented at the points of entrance into the country to detect, detain, or deport immigrants who are carrying contagious diseases. Additionally, they requested information on the reinforcements that will be implemented in the areas of epidemiological surveillance and preventive medicine.
The Government asserts that Spain has historically maintained high vaccination coverage, which in 2024 reached 96.7% in the first dose and 93.8% in the complete schedule, in addition to dismantling the link between immigration and the potential resurgence of these diseases.
Utilising numerical data
The Executive consults the data from the National Center for Epidemiology to ascertain the epidemiological characteristics of all registered cases.
Additionally, the Ministry of Health underscored that epidemiological surveillance recommendations have been fortified, particularly in high-risk populations, and observed that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) do not currently advocate for routine preventive measures at borders..
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