Texas Scales up Emergency Response to Combat Destructive New World Screwworm
State officials are expanding quarantines and sterile fly releases as the outbreak spreads across four confirmed cases, according to USDA.
- On Monday, June 8, Texas Governor Greg Abbott elevated the state's New World screwworm response to Level 2, activating all available resources as confirmed cases reached four across three counties.
- Officials confirmed cases in Zavala, La Salle, and Andrews counties, prompting the Texas Animal Health Commission to establish quarantine zones restricting warm-blooded animal movement from infested areas.
- Starting Tuesday, June 9, aerial dispersal of sterile flies begins from Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas, while state agencies urge ranchers to inspect animals daily and report suspected infestations.
- Neighboring states including Florida, Oklahoma, and Missouri enacted restrictive import rules for warm-blooded animals, while Canada implemented heightened inspection requirements for livestock shipments from affected regions.
- Experts warn a widespread outbreak could disrupt supply chains and drive up beef costs nationwide, as the parasite continues spreading north from South America and Mexico.
19 Articles
19 Articles
Flesh-Eating Parasite Cases Continue to Rise in U.S.
Reports of four new cases of the New World screwworm in Texas have prompted local disaster declarations and calls for federal intervention to prevent the spread of the dangerous flesh-eating parasite.PULSE POINTS WHAT HAPPENED: Four new cases involving a flesh-eating parasite thought to have been eradicated in the United States in the 1960s have been confirmed, raising fears it could become endemic once again. KEY QUOTE: “I have activated the fu…
A flesh-eating screwworm is spreading among livestock in the US. In one week, four cases have been confirmed in Texas – where the Swedish national team is based during the World Cup. – It will be an extremely challenging summer, says Texas Governor Greg Abbott to The Guardian. There are documented cases where people have been affected – but the risk is very small.
A Flesh-Eating Fly Has Reached Texas Cattle — Here’s What It Means for Beef
The first few cases of New World screwworm in American cattle have been confirmed.Credit: Brandon Bell/ Getty ImagesKey pointsOn June 3, the USDA confirmed that the New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, was found in a calf in Texas.Three additional cases of New World screwworm have been detected in Texas in the days following, and quarantine measures have been implemented to stop the parasite's spread.While beef, dairy, and other food pr…
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