(MEXICO CITY) — Officials in Mexico have confirmed a second case of New World Screwworm in the northern border state of Nuevo Leon.
Reuters reports that Mexico’s agriculture ministry on Monday reported the second case in about two weeks in the state, which borders the United States. The infested calf had originated from the south of Mexico and was intercepted in the town of Montemorelos, south of Monterrey. None of the other 84 animals in the same shipment were found to be infested, the ministry said in a statement.
In a post on X, USDA Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said in part that “a new case of New World Screwworm (NWS) was detected in Mexico, 170 miles from our southern border. At this time, we believe this to be an isolated incident and it is 100 miles further south of the last detected case.” Rollins added in her post that “Our top priority is protecting American livestock and food production.”
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, in a statement on Wednesday, said that time is of the essence. “The time is now for our state and federal partners to get on board with the deployment of pesticide bait,” according to Miller. “When utilized right, alongside TDA Swormlure, this is a proven method for eradication. This isn’t just a livestock issue, it’s about protecting Texas jobs, rural communities, and our agricultural lifeblood. Let me be clear: with the screwworm this close, our world-class Texas cattle industry is too important to take chances. That’s why we’re acting with force and precision now. We have already deployed our state-of-the-art TDA Swormlure traps across south Texas to drive early detection. Working with our partners on both sides of the border, we will do everything possible to stop this pest.”
Mexico recorded 6,703 cases of animals infested with screwworm as of September 13 since the start of the outbreak in November of last year. That was compared to 5,086 confirmed cases during the previous period, which ended August 17.
