The Junta de Castilla y León confirmed a case of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever (Spanish: Fiebre Hemorrágica de Crimea-Congo) in the province of Salamanca on 13 August 2026. The patient is a 71-year-old man who was temporarily staying in the province and was initially treated at the Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Salamanca After laboratory tests came back positive, he was transferred to the high-security isolation unit at Hospital Central de la Defensa Gómez Ulla in Madrid and remains there in isolation.
According to Dirección General de Salud Pública The regional government’s Sección de Epidemiología of the Servicio Territorial de Sanidad in Salamanca identified the patient’s contacts. They are being monitored in line with protocol: regular temperature checks, immediate reporting of symptoms to the epidemiologist in charge, and testing if necessary. Hospitals involved have stepped up protective and hygiene measures for staff.
The Centro Nacional de Microbiología (Instituto de Salud Carlos III) confirmed the infection using blood samples that had been sent in. The sequence of events – clinical suspicion, samples sent to the national reference laboratory, isolation and transfer to the reference hospital – follows the established procedure in Spain for suspected cases of Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever.
Facts: The virus is transmitted mainly through tick bites, particularly from Hyalomma ticks. Human-to-human transmission is possible through contact with blood or other bodily fluids if appropriate protective equipment is not used. Since 2016, cases and individual chains of transmission have been documented repeatedly in Spain; the authorities maintain continuous surveillance organised by region.
Attributed statements: In its guidance, the Junta de Castilla y León points to precautions when outdoors, including wearing long clothing, avoiding tall grass and shrubs, checking carefully for ticks after spending time outdoors, and using insect repellents correctly. It also stresses coordinated cooperation with the Ministerio de Sanidad, the hospitals involved and reference laboratories.
Projections: Official statements contain no predictions about how the situation will develop. Ongoing contact tracing, laboratory testing and risk assessments are intended to establish whether further measures are needed. The authorities emphasise that the isolation and monitoring measures taken are intended to prevent hospital-acquired or further transmission.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).