--- title: "24 Spanish soldiers in Ceuta infected with scabies as Defence refuses medical leave" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/health/24-spanish-soldiers-in-ceuta-infected-with-scabies-as-defence-refuses-medical-le" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/24-spanish-soldiers-in-ceuta-infected-with-scabies-as-defence-refuses-medical-le" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/health/24-spanish-soldiers-in-ceuta-infected-with-scabies-as-defence-refuses-medical-le.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/24-spanish-soldiers-in-ceuta-infected-with-scabies-as-defence-refuses-medical-le" category: "Health" published: "2026-08-19T16:25:36.104Z" source_reported: "2026-08-19T15:30:10.000Z" updated: "2026-08-19T16:25:36.104Z" trust_score: 78 critic_score: 65 hype_score: 25 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-19T18:00:25.419650+00:00" --- # 24 Spanish soldiers in Ceuta infected with scabies as Defence refuses medical leave *Military unions allege poor hygiene in barracks and lack of protective equipment during migrant crisis response* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 78 of 100, higher is better. 24 cases named by multiple digests and one full report; origin disputed. - Craft 65 of 100, higher is better. Quotes from affected groups in one full report; others lack detail. - Hype 25 of 100, lower is better. Headlines overstate urgency but body remains measured. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - The Spanish Defence Ministry confirmed 24 cases of scabies among soldiers in Ceuta’s Regulares 54 unit but refused medical leave, keeping them on duty. - Military unions ATME and UMT allege the outbreak stemmed from poor hygiene in a disused barracks and lack of protective equipment during migrant operations. - Defence denies any connection between the infections and contact with migrants, citing two cases predating the recent influx. - The Professional Association of Non-Commissioned Officers (ASFASPRO) warned the total could exceed 60 cases, though this remains unconfirmed. The Spanish Defence Ministry confirmed 24 cases of scabies among soldiers deployed in Ceuta as part of the response to a mass migrant arrival on 30 July 2026. The infected personnel belong to the Regulares 54 unit, a historically decorated infantry group. Despite the outbreak, the ministry declined to issue medical leave, instead reassigning the soldiers to a separate area of their barracks while keeping them on active duty. Military unions ATME and UMT attributed the infections to conditions in the K-8 coastal battery, a disused facility where some troops were housed. They described the site as unhygienic, overcrowded, and previously infested, with soldiers lacking official protective equipment such as gloves and masks while handling migrants. The ministry, however, stated that two of the 24 cases predated the migrant surge and maintained that the outbreak was unrelated to contact with migrants. The Professional Association of Non-Commissioned Officers of the Armed Forces (ASFASPRO) warned that the true number of cases could exceed 60, though this claim remains unverified. Nurses in Ceuta reported broader healthcare strain, including cases of gastroenteritis and tuberculosis, describing the situation as an "unprecedented collapse". The government has not ruled out expanding temporary migrant reception capacity from 1,500 to 4,000 places. ## Disagreement over the source of the outbreak The Defence Ministry, as reported by El País and LaSexta, denied any link between the scabies cases and the military’s contact with migrants, citing two infections that occurred before the mass arrival. Military unions ATME and UMT, quoted in La Razón, countered that the outbreak originated in the K-8 battery, where troops were housed in poor conditions without adequate protective gear. The reports do not resolve whether the ministry’s timeline or the unions’ allegations are definitive. ## What the coverage left out None of the right-rated digests mentioned ASFASPRO’s warning that cases could exceed 60. The left-rated report from El País did not include the military unions’ allegations of poor hygiene in the K-8 battery or the lack of protective equipment. The centre-rated digest from 20minutos omitted the Defence Ministry’s refusal to grant medical leave, the unions’ claims, and the dispute over the outbreak’s source. ## Who covered it Shares of the 7 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 14% (1) - Centre: 15% (1) - Right: 71% (5) 13 of 20 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-19T18:00:25.419650+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 7 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-19T18:15:17.505Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - El País led on the broader healthcare crisis in Ceuta, framing the scabies outbreak as part of an "unprecedented healthcare collapse" that also included gastroenteritis and tuberculosis. The report included the Defence Ministry’s denial of any connection between the infections and migrant contact, but placed it alongside nurses’ accounts of systemic strain. The outlet did not mention the military unions’ allegations of poor hygiene or lack of protective equipment. ### Centre - 20minutos focused on the symptoms and prevention of scabies, contextualising the Ceuta cases within a broader rise in infections across Spain. The digest noted the outbreak among military personnel but did not address the Defence Ministry’s refusal to grant medical leave, the unions’ allegations, or the dispute over the source of the infections. ### Right - La Razón’s full report led on the Defence Ministry’s decision to keep infected soldiers on duty without medical leave, quoting military unions ATME and UMT extensively. The article described the K-8 battery as "disused, without hygienic maintenance and with a history of pests", and noted that troops lacked official protective equipment while handling migrants. The outlet also highlighted the ministry’s insistence that the outbreak was unrelated to migrant contact. - The digests from El Debate, Libertad Digital, and abc all reported the 24 confirmed cases but varied in emphasis. El Debate focused on the symptoms of scabies, while Libertad Digital quoted ATME’s president describing attempts to "shut up, cover up or hide" the military’s health problems. abc repeated the Defence Ministry’s claim that the outbreak predated the migrant influx. None of the right-rated digests mentioned the nurses’ reports of broader healthcare strain in Ceuta. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 2 - high: 2 - unknown: 14 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [El Debate](https://eldebate.com/salud-y-bienestar/salud/20260819/sarna-afecta-militares-desplegados-ceuta-cuales-son-sintomas-cns_450733.html) — The Scabies Affect the Military Deployed in Ceuta: What Is and What Are Its Symptoms - [OKDIARIO](https://okdiario.com/espana/mas-60-militares-podrian-acabar-contagiados-sarna-ceuta-mientras-defensa-confirma-unicamente-24-20141803) — More than 60 Soldiers Could End up Infected with Scabies in Ceuta While Defense Confirms only 24 - [informacion.es](https://informacion.es/sociedad/2026/08/19/alertan-casos-sarna-militares-dispararse-133490793.html) — They Warn that Scabies in the Military in Ceuta Could Be Shot at More than 60 - [lacronicabadajoz.com](https://lacronicabadajoz.com/sociedad/2026/08/19/alertan-casos-sarna-militares-dispararse-133490820.html) — They Warn that Cases of Scabies in the Military Could Be Fired at More than 60 - [El Pais](https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-08-19/las-enfermeras-denuncian-un-colapso-sanitario-sin-precedentes-en-ceuta-por-gastroenteritis-tuberculosis-y-sarna.html) — Gastroenteritis, Tuberculosis, Scabies: Nurses Denounce an “Unprecedented Healthcare Collapse” in Ceuta - [El Faro de Ceuta](https://elfarodeceuta.es/asfaspro-denuncia-condiciones-militares-desplegados-ceuta-exige-compensaciones) — ASFASPRO Denounces the Conditions of the Military Deployed in Ceuta and Demands Compensation - [negocios.com](https://negocios.com/articulo/espana/alarma-sanitaria-ceuta-brote-sarna-afecta-24-militares-varios-policias-nacionales/20260819130959492313.html) — Scabies Hit Ceuta, 26 Military and Police, on Alert - [20minutos](https://20minutos.es/salud/estos-sintomas-sarna-prevencion-infeccion-altamente-contagiosa_4961550_0.html) — Here Are the Symptoms of Scabies: How to Prevent This Highly Contagious Dermatological Infection - [Revista Defensa Infodefensa.com](https://infodefensa.com/texto-diario/mostrar/5988017/atme-denuncia-militares-desplegados-ceuta-contagiados-sarna-no-recibido-baja-medica-insta-pedirla-medico-cabecera) — ATME Denounces that the Military Deployed in Ceuta Infected by Scabies Have Not Received Medical Discharge and Urges Them to Request It From the Family Doctor - [La Razón](https://larazon.es/espana/defensa-desata-indignacion-ceuta-militares-contagiados-sarna-seguiran-servicio-baja-medica_202608196a85665671b42a0b5df7b79a.html) — Defense Unleashes Outrage in Ceuta: the Military Infected with Scabies Will Remain in Service without Medical Discharge - [Libertad Digital](https://libertaddigital.com/espana/2026-08-19/el-presidente-de-atme-sobre-los-militares-en-ceuta-estan-sobrepasados-nadie-quiere-ser-militar-7449795) — The Military Denounces Attempts to "Shut up, Cover up or Hide" Their Health Problems in Ceuta - [The Objective | Periodismo ethos](https://theobjective.com/espana/2026-08-19/sarna-policia-ceuta-crisis-migratoria) — First Case of Scabies in a Police Force Deployed in Ceuta Due to the Migration Crisis - [VilaWeb.cat](https://vilaweb.cat/noticies/exercit-espanyol-24-casos-sarna-origen-brot-crisi-ceuta) — The Spanish Army Recognizes 24 Cases of Scabies, but Places the Origin of the Outbreak Before the Ceuta Crisis - [gaceta.es](https://gaceta.es/espana/robles-deja-sin-baja-medica-a-los-militares-contagiados-de-sarna-en-ceuta-20260819-0937) — Robles Leaves without Medical Discharge the Military Infected with Scabies in Ceuta - [LaSexta](https://lasexta.com/noticias/nacional/defensa-confirma-24-casos-sarna-militares-desplazados-ceuta-niega-que-contagio-este-vinculado-llegada-masiva-migrantes_202608186a84894271b42a0b5df67d6a.html) — Defense Confirms 24 Cases of Scabies Among Soldiers Displaced to Ceuta and Denies that the Contagion Is Linked to the Massive Arrival of Migrants - [huelvainformacion.es](https://huelvainformacion.es/espana/defensa-eleva-24-contagiados-sarna_0_2007741183.html) — Defense Already Raises to 24 the Spreads of Scabies Among the Military Displaced to Ceuta - [Granada Hoy](https://granadahoy.com/espana/defensa-eleva-24-contagiados-sarna_0_2007741182.html) — Defense Already Raises to 24 the Spreads of Scabies Among the Military Displaced to Ceuta - [El Día de Córdoba](https://eldiadecordoba.es/espana/defensa-eleva-24-contagiados-sarna_0_2007741180.html) — Defense Already Raises to 24 the Spreads of Scabies Among the Military Displaced to Ceuta - [diariodesevilla.es](https://diariodesevilla.es/espana/defensa-eleva-24-contagiados-sarna_0_2007741176.html) — Defense Already Raises to 24 the Spreads of Scabies Among the Military Displaced to Ceuta - [abc](https://abc.es/espana/contagiados-sarna-militares-ceuta-defensa-desvincula-crisis-20260818172622-nt.html) — 24 Military Scabies in Ceuta, Although Defense Disassociates Him From the Border Crisis ## Questions **How many soldiers in Ceuta have scabies?** The Spanish Defence Ministry confirmed 24 cases of scabies among soldiers in Ceuta’s Regulares 54 unit. Military unions warned the total could exceed 60, though this remains unconfirmed by official sources. **Why did the Defence Ministry refuse medical leave for infected soldiers?** The Defence Ministry stated that the infected soldiers would recover within days and could remain on duty. Military unions criticised the decision, alleging poor conditions and lack of protective equipment contributed to the outbreak. **Is the scabies outbreak linked to the migrant crisis?** The Defence Ministry denied any connection, citing two cases that predated the mass migrant arrival. Military unions, however, alleged the outbreak stemmed from poor hygiene in barracks where troops were housed during the crisis. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/health/24-spanish-soldiers-in-ceuta-infected-with-scabies-as-defence-refuses-medical-le. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "24 Spanish soldiers in Ceuta infected with scabies as Defence refuses medical leave", https://mediabias.news/health/24-spanish-soldiers-in-ceuta-infected-with-scabies-as-defence-refuses-medical-le