Posted: Monday, December 2, 2024. 4:07 pm CST.
Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise, José Abelardo Mai, along with Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Oscar Mira, and CEO Servulo Baeza, took the New World Screwworm campaign to Bullet Tree in the Cayo District on Saturday, November 30, 2024. Photo Credit: MAFSE
By Rubén Morales Iglesias: In response to the growing threat of the New World Screwworm, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise has launched an aggressive campaign to prevent the parasite from entering Belize. With over 50,000 cases reported across Central America and a recent detection in Chiapas, Mexico on November 22, 2024, the urgency of the situation has escalated.
On Saturday, November 30, 2024, the Ministry made a significant outreach effort in the Bullet Tree area in the Cayo District. Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise, José Abelardo Mai, alongside Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security, Oscar Mira, and CEO Servulo Baeza, led the campaign. They were joined by personnel from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
The campaign focused on educating producers and those involved in livestock transportation about the importance of maintaining healthy animals and preventing the spread of the screwworm. The event saw an attendance of around 50 individuals, all of whom expressed their willingness to cooperate with the Ministry’s guidelines.
Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise, José Abelardo Mai, in blue, addressing participants at New World Screwworm campaign to Bullet Tree in the Cayo District on Saturday, November 30, 2024. Photo Credit: MAFSE
Minister Mai emphasized the critical nature of this campaign, stating that the New World Screwworm poses a severe threat to our livestock industry and public health and that we must take every precaution to ensure it does not enter Belize.
The Ministry’s social media post highlighted the key points discussed during the event, stressing the importance of transporting healthy animals and the role of producers in monitoring and reporting any signs of infestation.
The New World Screwworm, caused by the larvae of the fly Cochliomyia hominivorax, can infest any warm-blooded animal, including humans, by laying eggs in open wounds. The larvae then feed on the host’s flesh, causing severe damage and potentially leading to death if untreated.
Belize remains vigilant, with the Ministry urging all citizens, especially farmers, to report any suspicious wounds in animals to the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA). The Ministry continues to work closely with regional partners to monitor and control the spread of this dangerous parasite.
For more information, the public is encouraged to contact BAHA or visit the Ministry’s official social media pages.
Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise, José Abelardo Mai, left, and CEO Servulo Baeza, right, during New World Screwworm campaign to Bullet Tree in the Cayo District on Saturday, November 30, 2024. Photo Credit: MAFSE
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The post Belize intensifies efforts to prevent New World Screwworm outbreak appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Monday, December 2, 2024. 4:07 pm CST. Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise, José Abelardo Mai, along with Minister of State in the Ministry
The post Belize intensifies efforts to prevent New World Screwworm outbreak appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
