A troubling situation is unfolding in Badalona (Catalonia): ten cases of tuberculosis have already been detected in the former municipal school B-9, which has served as a temporary shelter for hundreds of migrants since summer 2023. The facility, located between the Remei and Sant Roc districts, has long raised concerns among local residents and authorities due to poor living conditions and a lack of basic infrastructure.
Among those infected was a man who died at the end of August after a stabbing. Despite this, city officials claim they have not received any official notifications about an outbreak in the building. Badalona mayor Xavier Garcia Albiol has been seeking a court order to clear the premises for several months, but the process continues to be delayed.
Medical staff from the Germans Trias i Pujol hospital, which serves the area, warn that a sudden eviction could have serious epidemiological consequences. Some of the patients have only just begun treatment, and if relocated, they might stop taking their medications, increasing the risk of transmission. Doctors say patients are currently under supervision and receiving their prescribed drugs, but stress that the situation could quickly spiral out of control if people disperse to other areas.
The Department of Health notes that all necessary measures have already been taken, and those affected are undergoing treatment for at least two weeks, which reduces the risk of transmitting the infection to others. Nevertheless, the building still houses between 400 and 500 people, many of whom are in extremely vulnerable conditions. City authorities and medical professionals continue to seek solutions to prevent a new wave of cases and to ensure the safety of both the residents of the lyceum and the entire city.
