Overview
- A calf in Zavala County, Texas, tested positive for New World screwworm on June 3, triggering federal and state responses after further detections in Texas and a dog case tied to Lea County, New Mexico.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture and partners have begun aerial and ground releases of millions of laboratory-raised sterile male flies each week and are building larger production capacity, including a planned facility at Moore Air Base.
- Health agencies activated emergency measures with the CDC running a level-3 response and the FDA issuing emergency authorizations for several veterinary medicines to treat infected dogs, cats and livestock.
- States and counties have established active 12–20 km quarantine and surveillance zones, issued movement and import restrictions, and declared local emergencies to limit animal movement and speed response work.
- Officials say the main risk is to livestock and the agricultural economy, cattle owners and pet owners should check and promptly treat wounds, and early detection and veterinary care make infestations treatable while human cases remain rare.