Posted: Thursday, June 19, 2025. 4:17 pm CST.
New World Screwworm press conference on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Photo Credit: MAFSE
By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) has confirmed that the New World Screwworm (NWS) has taken hold in Belize, prompting aggressive containment efforts and public calls to action.
At a press conference hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise, BAHA Managing Director Zoe Zetina outlined the scope of the threat and the nation’s response.
“We all knew it was inevitable,” Zetina said. “Simply because the fly flies.”
The NWS, a mutated strain of the screwworm eradicated regionally three decades ago, first appeared in Belize in early January in Crique Sarco, Toledo. Since then, BAHA has activated its national control plan—originally designed for prevention—to aggressively contain the outbreak.
Zetina noted that Belize’s proactive measures and early implementation of a prevention plan allowed the country to delay the fly’s entry and limit its spread. While other Central American nations experienced rapid cross-border transmission, Belize’s cases have remained concentrated in the southern districts of Toledo and Cayo, which currently report 90 and 57 cases, respectively.
Movement control checkpoints, such as the one in Sandhill, have been instrumental in keeping the Northern Region largely uninfested. But the emergence of infestations in dogs has raised red flags.
“The large number of infestations in dogs is alarming,” Zetina emphasized.
“With almost as much infestation in dogs as there is in cattle, BAHA is concerned that dog owners, and in general, pet owners, are not properly monitoring the health of these animals.”
She urged all pet and livestock owners to inspect their animals for wounds, apply approved larvicides, and report any signs of maggot infestation.
Zetina also dispelled fears of sensationalism.
“These measures and the education and public awareness campaign are not about instilling fear or creating a hullabaloo,” she said.
“New World Screwworm is an aggressive mutation of the screwworm that was eradicated some 30 years ago. The fly flies further, has a shorter life cycle and seems more inclined to choose fertile males to ensure its survival. Combined, these new characteristic makes it more challenging to control and eradicate.”
She said the measures aim at containing an aggressive mutation that poses risks not only to livestock but also to pets and even humans.
She added that other Central American countries have already reported human cases of NWS, some of which have resulted in death due to sepsis. While Belize has not seen such outcomes, Zetina stressed the urgency of vigilance.
As regional stakeholders collaborate on long-term eradication strategies, BAHA and the Ministry are calling on the public to report suspected cases and stay informed through official channels.
“In Belize, it is important that we remain observant and proactive to protect human and animal health and, by extension, food security, investments, and trade,” Zetina concluded.
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The post Belize ramps up battle against New World Screwworm amid concern over animal and human health appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Thursday, June 19, 2025. 4:17 pm CST. New World Screwworm press conference on Thursday, June 19, 2025. Photo Credit: MAFSE By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The
The post Belize ramps up battle against New World Screwworm amid concern over animal and human health appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
