New Mexico state vet warns that screwworm cases will continue to rise
New Mexico officials are preparing for additional New World screwworm detections as the parasite continues to spread across northern Mexico and Texas, with State Veterinarian Dr. Samantha Holeck warning lawmakers this week that the state’s single confirmed case is unlikely to remain an isolated incident.
According to KRQE, Holeck told lawmakers on Tuesday that the state is expanding its response capabilities although federal sterile fly production has not yet returned to the levels that ultimately pushed the pest out of the United States decades ago.
“At the time that we eradicated screwworm in this country in the 50s and 60s, we were producing 500 million flies a week, so we are at 20 percent of that capacity right now,” Holeck said.
A sterile fly production facility in Chiapas, Mexico, is expected to begin operating by the end of August, joining the existing Panama facility to produce roughly 200 million sterile flies each week. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also working to open a new production facility in Texas in early 2027 that is expected to put out an additional 300 million flies per week.
New Mexico has confirmed one case of New World screwworm to date — a dog in Lea County identified in early June after a veterinarian recognized the parasite. Holeck credited that veterinarian’s training with allowing the case to be detected quickly. Officials established a containment zone and released sterile flies in response.
Holeck also warned lawmakers that additional cases are expected as infections continue increasing in neighboring regions. According to the latest state briefing, Texas has more than 40 confirmed cases, while Chihuahua, Mexico, has reported dozens more, underscoring the continued northward pressure along the border.
The latest international figures also continue to climb. Officials reported more than 189,000 animal cases and more than 2,300 human cases across Mexico and Central America, highlighting the importance of surveillance and rapid response.
USDA history shows eradication was a longer process
The USDA officially declared the United States free of indigenous, self-sustaining screwworm populations in 1966, following widespread deployment of the Sterile Insect Technique. However, the USDA’s historical records also document that imported outbreaks continued for years afterward, requiring continued surveillance, sterile fly releases and cooperation with Mexico.
The largest resurgence occurred in 1972, when the United States experienced its worst outbreak after the 1966 declaration. According to the USDA’s National Agricultural Library, Texas confirmed 90,000 cases that year after recording just 444 cases in 1971. California, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Arkansas also reported infestations, prompting the United States and Mexico to establish the joint Mexico-United States Screwworm Eradication Commission to push the eradication barrier farther south.
USDA historical records further show cases declined sharply after the 1972 outbreak. Texas reported just 39 confirmed cases in 1977, northern Mexico was declared free of self-sustaining screwworm populations by 1980, and the USDA identifies 1982 as the last reported U.S. case before the current re-emergence, aside from occasional imported detections.
The post New Mexico state vet warns that screwworm cases will continue to rise appeared first on AGDAILY.
