According to local healthcare workers, the situation constitutes "a serious health crisis" that is putting them in a state of overwhelm and exhaustion.

In an interview with Diario Independiente de Contenido Enfermero, president of the association Rosa Fuentes described the crisis as "a disaster of great magnitude and a paralysis of essential public services".

She stated that the government should have taken the measure "from the very outset". The consequences of this delay are plain to see for Fuentes, who said that, since the end of July, they have been carrying out over 1,600 daily care visits.

The consequences of the collapse are taking their toll on patient safety. "This overload forces us to make drastic decisions. We are compelled to prioritise patients solely on the basis of the severity of their condition," Fuentes explained.

Due to healthcare workers' fatigue, she admitted, "there are errors in dosing, mix-ups with medication or even omissions in patient identity verification protocols".

Rosa Fuentes' statement appears to contradict the words of Minister of Health Mónica García.

On Sunday, García denied the existence of a "health crisis" and rejected the claim that the arrival of thousands of people from across the border had led to a rise in disease within Ceuta.

"I'm sorry, but linking migration to disease is racist and xenophobic," García said.

In response to her statement, Fuentes described the situation on the border beaches: "The combination of the passage of time, extreme overcrowding and the worrying lack of hygiene at the points where people gather has created a critical situation for public health."

The growing incidence of illness among migrants who entered Spanish territory more than two weeks ago calls for "immediate action before the situation spirals out of control", Fuentes demands.

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