Rabies confirmed in Melilla after infected dog enters from Morocco
The Public Health Ministry in Melilla has announced the first confirmed case of rabies in 2025, following the entry of an infected dog from Morocco through the Beni Ansar crossing in the early hours of April 3. The dog was later captured and died two days after being detained.
According to an official statement from the Directorate General of Public Health, laboratory tests conducted at the National Microbiology Center of the Carlos III Health Institute in Madrid confirmed that the dog was infected with the virus. This confirmation came after the animal displayed increasingly severe symptoms from the moment it was taken to the shelter and monitoring center until its death on the night of April 6.
The dog, a large brown hybrid of the Belgian Shepherd «Malinois» breed, entered Spanish territory by running across the border from Morocco. Authorities reported that it attempted to attack another dog being walked by its owner near Teniente Flomesta Street, close to the waterfront, before fleeing toward the southern barrier, where it was captured by a specialized animal collection company.
The Public Health Ministry has urged anyone who may have been bitten or come into contact with the dog's saliva to urgently visit the Directorate General of Public Health headquarters at 52–54 Alfonso XIII Street or call 952 976 251 to begin the necessary preventive treatment.
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