The controversy arose after statements from a representative of the Canary Islands Government, who warned about the risk of hantavirus-infected rodents disembarking on the islands from a vessel. This explanation, which even included AI-generated images, was quickly refuted by the Ministry of Health.

The situation rapidly escalated in the digital sphere, where users of various social platforms responded with wit and humor. The internet was flooded with memes depicting the "swimming rats" in comical situations, such as surfing, synchronized swimming, or staging epic landings bound for the Canary Islands.

What began as a health alert transformed into a viral phenomenon, where political alarmism gave way to a wave of digital creativity and mockery, demonstrating social media's ability to reinterpret and satirize current events.