Posted: Monday, September 22, 2025. 6:13 pm CST.
The first reported case of the New World Screwworm in Belize involved an infected calf in Crique Sarco, Toledo, on December 28, 2024. Photo credit: MAFSE.
By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The New World Screwworm (NWS), a devastating parasite that is a major threat to the livestock industry, has been detected less than 70 miles from the United States-Mexico border, according to a September 21 report from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). This is the northernmost case of the current outbreak, placing the pest on a major highway connecting Monterrey, Mexico, to Laredo, Texas.
The case was confirmed in an 8-month-old cow that had been moved from a region in southern Mexico with known active screwworm cases.
Like the neighbouring countries, Belize is currently grappling with a severe outbreak, the Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) reports over 500 cases, with more than half found in pets, especially dogs. Two human cases have also been confirmed in Belize.
US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins issued a strong statement regarding the new detection, emphasizing USDA’s aggressive stance.
“Protecting the United States from NWS is non-negotiable and a top priority of the Trump Administration,” Rollins said. “This is a national security priority.”
She went on to state that while the United States has provided resources to Mexico, the nation will not rely on its neighbour for defense against the parasite.
“American ranchers and families should know that we will not rely on Mexico to defend our industry, our food supply, or our way of life,” Rollins added. She also vowed to “pursue aggressive measures against anyone who harms American livestock.”
The USDA has responded to the threat with a comprehensive, five-pronged plan to prevent the parasite from crossing the border. The plan includes:
- Protecting the US Border: The USDA is building a domestic sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Force Base in Edinburg, Texas, which will be capable of dispersing up to 100 million sterile flies per week.
- Strengthening Surveillance and Detection: USDA and Mexican partners are actively monitoring nearly 8,000 traps across Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.
- Innovating for Eradication: The USDA is investing $100 million through the New World Screwworm Grand Challenge to find breakthrough technologies to enhance sterile fly production and develop new tools like advanced traps, lures, and therapeutics.
The USDA report noted that the recent detection “underscores the non-negotiable need for Mexico to fully implement and comply with the U.S.–Mexico Joint Action Plan for NWS in Mexico.”
At this point, the United States isn’t allowing any imports of cattle, bison, and horses from Mexico.
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The post New World Screwworm case confirmed just 70 miles from United States border appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Monday, September 22, 2025. 6:13 pm CST. The first reported case of the New World Screwworm in Belize involved an infected calf in Crique Sarco,
The post New World Screwworm case confirmed just 70 miles from United States border appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
