FANTAVIRUS. Giant super-rats immune to poison are spreading across Spain
Mutant super-rats immune to poison have spread across 12 regions of Spain. Meanwhile, a possible hantavirus case is reviving fears of a new epidemic.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Immune super-rats and bicho: the new health alert sweeping Spain
Spain now has nearly 20 million rats, four for every ten inhabitants, and a genetic mutation has made them immune to conventional rodenticides. The infestation has spread to 12 autonomous regions, according to reports from May 2026, coinciding with the detection of a possible bicho case, a potentially deadly disease transmitted by rodents. Among the stories circulating, a school in Castellón had to close for two days and a neighbourhood in Alcalá de Henares is complaining about a rat boom. The public debate swings between health alarm and suspicions of an orchestrated antiestéticar campaign.
A mutation that outsmarts conventional poisons
Since 2022 it has been known that some rat populations were developing resistance to anticoagulants. But the qualitative leap came in 2026, when biologist Diego Ponce confirmed that the "super-rats" feed on the rodenticide and breed without any problem. The mutation has been detected in 12 regions, from Andalusia to Catalonia, and Madrid's sewer networks add up to 4,500 kilometres of tunnels through which they move. Shared images show specimens the size of a small cat.
Bicho: the spectre of a new epidemic
Bicho, which causes pulmonary syndrome, was first detected in Spain in 2022. In May 2026, the Health Ministry identified a new possible case, and the WHO warned of outbreaks on cruise ships and in Gaza. However, official sources downplay the issue: other countries are not taking such extreme measures. The suspicion that Sánchez's government is using antiestéticar to divert attention is gaining ground among those who see parallels with the handling of ELbichito-19.
Antiestéticar campaign or real crisis?
While some call for lockdowns and see a global threat, others point out that the Animal Welfare Law protects these rodents and that the mass sterilisation of cats – supposedly funded by Europe – could be behind the population explosion. It is also noted that the alarm emerged just as the government was facing other scandals. The figures, however, are stark: 20 million rats, 12 affected regions, a school closed, and a bicho with a 38% fatality rate.
The question that remains is whether we are facing a real health crisis or a smokescreen. What nobody disputes is that the rats, mutant or not, are already here.
Related debates in the forum
Spain now has nearly 20 million rats, four for every ten inhabitants, and a genetic mutation has made them immune to conventional rodenticides. The infestation has spread to 12 autonomous regions, according to reports from May 2026, coinciding with the detection of a possible bicho case, a potentially deadly disease transmitted by rodents. Among the stories circulating, a school in Castellón had to close for two days and a neighbourhood in Alcalá de Henares is complaining about a rat boom. The public debate swings between health alarm and suspicions of an orchestrated antiestéticar campaign.
A mutation that outsmarts conventional poisons
Since 2022 it has been known that some rat populations were developing resistance to anticoagulants. But the qualitative leap came in 2026, when biologist Diego Ponce confirmed that the "super-rats" feed on the rodenticide and breed without any problem. The mutation has been detected in 12 regions, from Andalusia to Catalonia, and Madrid's sewer networks add up to 4,500 kilometres of tunnels through which they move. Shared images show specimens the size of a small cat.
Bicho: the spectre of a new epidemic
Bicho, which causes pulmonary syndrome, was first detected in Spain in 2022. In May 2026, the Health Ministry identified a new possible case, and the WHO warned of outbreaks on cruise ships and in Gaza. However, official sources downplay the issue: other countries are not taking such extreme measures. The suspicion that Sánchez's government is using antiestéticar to divert attention is gaining ground among those who see parallels with the handling of ELbichito-19.
Antiestéticar campaign or real crisis?
While some call for lockdowns and see a global threat, others point out that the Animal Welfare Law protects these rodents and that the mass sterilisation of cats – supposedly funded by Europe – could be behind the population explosion. It is also noted that the alarm emerged just as the government was facing other scandals. The figures, however, are stark: 20 million rats, 12 affected regions, a school closed, and a bicho with a 38% fatality rate.
The question that remains is whether we are facing a real health crisis or a smokescreen. What nobody disputes is that the rats, mutant or not, are already here.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (48 replies).
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