On April 19, Mexico’s animal health authority, SENASICA, confirmed a case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Marin, Nuevo León, approximately 62 miles from the Texas border. The case involved a one-year-old calf with an umbilical lesion and is currently the northernmost active detection of NWS. USDA APHIS is working closely with their counterparts at SENASICA to assess the case, continue aerial dispersal of sterile flies in the area, and consider all other control options to prevent further spread.
This case is now reflected on the USDA APHIS current situation map and table. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/stop-screwworm/current-status?page=1
At this time, New World screwworm is NOT present in Texas or in the United States.
In related efforts, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, alongside Lieutenant General William H. “Butch” Graham of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, recently marked the start of construction on a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas. Developed through a partnership between USDA and USACE, the facility is a critical part of a larger national initiative aimed at strengthening the U.S. response to NWS. By expanding sterile fly production within the country, this effort will enhance the ability to suppress and prevent the spread of the pest, helping protect livestock, wildlife, and public health.
EWA is closely monitoring this situation and will continue to share updates as new information becomes available. Members with questions are encouraged to contact the EWA headquarters office for assistance.
To view the NWS Response Playbook V2, click here: https://myewa.org/usda-releases-new-world-screwworm-response-playbook/
Additional guidance is available through Texas A&;M AgriLife Extension and the Screwworm Coalition of Texas can be found below.