SPAIN: Hantavirus Case Updates, Election Predictions & more – 14th May 2026

¡Buenos días from Gracia! This is the Rorshok Spain Update from the 14th of May twenty twenty-six. A quick summary of what's going down in Spain.

First up this week, an update on the hantavirus story we touched upon in the last episode. On Tuesday, the 12th, the Spanish health authorities confirmed a new hantavirus case among passengers evacuated from the cruise ship MV Hondius.

The outbreak began aboard the Dutch cruise ship after several passengers became ill during the voyage. The ship was forced to dock at the port of Granadilla in Tenerife, where a large evacuation operation started on Sunday.

President Pedro Sánchez defended the government’s response and called the operation a success during a press conference with the WHO.

In politics, on Monday the 11th, a new opinion poll by the 40dB institute suggested that the conservative Partido Popular is likely to keep control of Andalucia in next Sunday’s regional elections.

Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, the current regional president of the region, is expected to win by roughly fifty-six seats, just above the number needed for an absolute majority and about twice as many as the Spanish Socialist Party, which is predicted to win twenty-eight seats.

The far-right fascist Vox party is expected to gain fifteen seats, while left-wing groups Por Andalucía and Adelante Andalucía would remain much smaller.

The survey suggests many voters approve of Bonilla’s leadership and the performance of the Andalucian regional government, despite concerns about high unemployment and heavy reliance on seasonal tourism in the region. Things are really heating up!

Speaking of things heating up. On Sunday, the 10th, a report by euronews showed how the country has created one of Europe’s biggest networks of climate shelters to protect people during dangerous heatwaves. These shelters are public places like libraries, museums, and shopping malls where people can cool down, drink water, and rest in air-conditioned spaces.

The plan expanded after Spain suffered record heat in twenty twenty-five, including a sixteen-day heatwave in August with temperatures reaching 45°C (113°F).

Catalunya already has around 400 climate shelters across the city, while other regions, including the Basque Country and the Region of Murcia, have similar systems in place.

Experts say the rest of Europe is moving more slowly, despite rising heat deaths across countries, including Italy, France, and even Finland.

Over 70,000 public teachers in the Valencian Community began their first indefinite strike since nineteen eighty-eight on Monday, the 11th, after failed talks with the regional PP government.

They are demanding higher pay, smaller class sizes, less paperwork, better support for special-needs students, protection for Valencian-language education, and improved air conditioning. Unions say wages have effectively dropped by around 300–500 euros a month since twenty-ten, and rejected a proposed seventy-five euro monthly raise over three years as insufficient.

The strike impacts all education levels and may disrupt learning for over 500,000 students.

In policing. On Sunday the 10th, Police officers from France and Germany joined patrols in tourist areas of Granada as part of a European Union policing programme called Comisarías Europeas twenty twenty-six.

The foreign officers are working alongside the Spanish National Police in busy tourist locations, including the city centre, transport hubs and areas around the Alhambra. The aim is to improve safety and make it easier for international visitors to communicate with police officers in their own language.

Under the scheme, Spanish police remain fully in charge, while French and German officers assist with public patrols, tourist support, and minor incidents such as theft reports or lost property. Authorities say the programme is especially useful during busy tourism periods when large numbers of foreign visitors arrive in the city.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday the 12th, reports suggested the Russian cargo ship Ursa Major, which sank off south-east Spain in December twenty twenty-four, may have been carrying nuclear submarine reactor parts to North Korea.

The ship exploded near Murcia in the south while travelling from St Petersburg to Vladivostok. Although Spanish rescue services responded, a Russian warship took control and told them to leave.

Investigators grew suspicious after satellite images showed large containers on board, and the captain later said the cargo included reactor-like parts, though no nuclear fuel.

The wreck now lies 2,500 metres underwater, and Russia claims that it was a terrorist attack.

Moving to statistics. On Sunday, the 11th, the Interior Ministry produced a report on illegal home occupation or okupación slash Okupas, saying that figures of reported incidents fell slightly in twenty twenty-five.

According to the report, last year, police received around 15,000 complaints related to squatting, nearly 10% fewer than in twenty twenty-four. However, the number is still far higher than in twenty-ten, when only around 2,700 cases were reported.

In terms of regions, Catalunya recorded the highest number of complaints, with almost 6,000 cases, making it the centre of the country's squatting debate. While Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska argues that most cases involve empty properties, second homes, or investment apartments rather than finding strangers living in a main residence, Okupas cause a huge amount of legal and emotional stress for property owners. Especially lengthy court battles, property damage, and unpaid bills - so, fewer reports are always a good sign!

Next up, the price of tobacco is about to rise! On Sunday, the 10th, it was announced that the central government has introduced another round of tobacco price increases, affecting cigars, cigarillos, rolling tobacco, and pipe tobacco sold in Estancos and tobacconists.

The changes apply across mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands. They follow similar rises introduced in April, reflecting a broader twenty twenty-six trend of frequent small price adjustments rather than occasional large increases.

The increases aren’t specific; they are applied across multiple areas linked to production, transport, import costs, taxation and inflation, with further rises expected later in twenty twenty-six. For a little context, a standard twenty-pack used to cost between five and six euros in April; with these new rules, they will increase between fifty cents and one euro, depending on the brand.

Now to a key moment in ice sports — an area the country isn’t typically known for. On Sunday, the 10th, the country launched its first national para ice hockey team, part of a push by the Spanish Ice Sports Federation to grow the sport and build a national league.

Originating in Madrid, the project follows global expansion, with countries like Mexico and Brazil starting similar programmes. It gained momentum after a February open day where seventeen newcomers tried the sport.

More recruitment events are planned, with a competition season targeted for September. Federation president Frank Gonzalez said it opens doors for athletes unable to play traditional hockey and could lead to future Paralympic participation.

Let’s look at immigration. According to a new report released on Wednesday, the 13th, by Spanish think tank Funcas, more than half of immigrants who arrive in Spain eventually leave, mainly due to high housing costs, insecure jobs, and limited long-term stability.

From two thousand and two–twenty twenty-four, fifteen million people arrived, but the net increase was only around seven million, giving the country a retention rate of about 48%, one of Europe’s lowest. Many work in low-paid, seasonal, or temporary sectors like hospitality, agriculture, construction, and care. While rising rents and insecure housing make settling even harder.

Despite this, Spain still relies on immigration to address an ageing population and labour shortages.

Want to know more? Link to think piece in show notes.

From immigration to cars. On Monday, the 11th, the central government launched a new vehicle subsidy programme, Plan Auto twenty thirty, offering grants of up to 5,500 euros for electric and low-emission vehicles.

The new plan’s main improvement is that discounts will be applied immediately at dealerships instead of buyers waiting months for reimbursements. The maximum support for passenger cars includes up to 4,500 euros in government aid plus a mandatory 1,000 euro dealership discount.

Officials hope the instant-discount programme will make switching to electric vehicles easier and more attractive for drivers.

Finishing up this week with the biggest sports news of the week, On Sunday the 10th, FC Barcelona secured their 29th La Liga title with a 2-0 victory over rivals Real Madrid in the famous El Clásico.

The win confirmed back-to-back league titles for Barcelona after a dominant season in which they lost just four league games.

Managed by Hansi Flick, Barcelona reached ninety-one points, while Real Madrid remained on seventy-seven. The title victory was especially emotional for Flick, who was in the dugout only hours after the club announced the death of his father.

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Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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¡Hasta la próxima!