Second Screwworm Case Found in Texas Two Days After First Detection
Officials say the infected calf is the first Texas case since 1966, triggering movement limits and sterile-fly releases to stop the parasite.
- On Wednesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed the first New World screwworm case in Texas since 1966, identified in a 3-week-old calf in LaPryor approximately 50 miles from the Mexican border, threatening the state's $15 billion cattle industry.
- The parasite's larvae feed on living tissue, posing a significant threat to livestock. USDA officials monitored the pest's rapid movement across Mexico for over a year, attempting to prevent its entry into the United States.
- Texas State Veterinarian Bud Dinges established a 12-mile quarantine zone prohibiting warm-blooded animals from moving without inspection. The USDA began releasing sterile flies and started construction on a $750 million breeding facility in the region.
- Criticizing the federal response as too slow, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller urged President Donald Trump to deploy every available resource before the outbreak becomes a full-blown agricultural disaster.
- Officials tested over 58,000 fly samples and 19,000 wild animals to monitor spread. Rollins stated, "There is no threat of mass infestation," while the USDA deploys 8,000 fly traps along the U.S.-Mexico border.
420 Articles
420 Articles
The last report went back to 1966. Since the end of 2024, the emergence of several outbreaks along the Mexican border had prompted Washington to step up health controls on imports of cattle from Mexico.
Second Case of Flesh-Eating Parasite Triggers Disaster Declaration in Texas
The discovery of a second New World screwworm case near the Mexican border has led Texas Governor Greg Abbott to sign a disaster declaration. This alarming development raises concerns for livestock health in the region. The post Second Case of Flesh-Eating Parasite Triggers Disaster Declaration in Texas appeared first on News Addicts.
Disaster Declaration Declared After Second Case Of Flesh-Eating Livestock Parasite Discovered In Texas
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed a disaster declaration after a second case of the New World screwworm was discovered not far from the U.S. border with Mexico. The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae infest and feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, including livestock, wildlife, pets, and occasionally humans. Female flies lay eggs in open wounds or mucous membranes, and the hatching larvae burrow into the flesh…
Washington, United States. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported on the detection in Texas of a second case of the sweeper worm, a devastating parasite for cattle. At the beginning of the week, a first case had been detected that triggered a race against time to stop its spread. The department “confirmed a second case of the New World sweeper worm in a month-old calf in Zavala County, Texas, about 9 kilometers from the first case,” wrote i…
A second case of the parasitic fly Cochliomyia hominivorax, whose carnivorous larvae can cause the death of cattle, was reported from Texas and was detected again this week for the first time in decades, causing new concerns for American cattle farmers.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
