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Mexico City Hospitals Treat Three Human Cases of Screwworm (Gusano Barrenador)

Officials say the detections involve non-resident patients, there is no evidence of person-to-person spread, and a sterile‑fly plant in Chiapas is planned after June 20 to help contain the pest

Overview

  • The Mexico City health ministry treated and discharged three people diagnosed with miasis caused by Cochliomyia hominivorax who traveled from Oaxaca, Hidalgo and Puebla for care.
  • Federal animal health reports show four active animal cases in the capital, with three in Tlalpan and one in Álvaro Obregón, and a recent canine case in Topilejo flagged as an early signal.
  • Health authorities emphasize the disease is not spread between people and requires the fly to deposit larvae into open wounds, so simple wound care and prompt medical attention reduce risk.
  • The city government is conducting active epidemiological surveillance in people and animals in coordination with the Secretariat of Environment and SENASICA to detect and respond to cases quickly.
  • The federal government plans a sterile‑insect production facility in Chiapas to release sterile male flies after June 20, a technique that aims to lower screwworm reproduction and curb future outbreaks.