Overview
- The first recent U.S. detection was a calf in Zavala County, Texas, on June 3, and by June 9 the USDA had confirmed six cases total — five in Texas and one in Lea County, New Mexico.
- Texas officials have imposed animal‑movement quarantines and several counties have declared local disasters while joint federal‑state teams conduct tracing, trapping and expanded surveillance around infected animals.
- Authorities are releasing sterile male screwworm flies to stop reproduction and are increasing production by converting a Metapa, Mexico facility this summer and building a large plant in South Texas with phased output planned through 2027–2028.
- The New Mexico case — a dog that reportedly did not travel to Texas or Mexico — has left investigators uncertain about local exposure routes and makes officials expect more detections as surveillance widens.
- No human cases have been reported in the U.S. so far, but experts warn a wider infestation could cost Texas roughly $1.8 billion and push beef prices higher, and the outbreak has produced public tensions between state officials and the USDA over response speed and tactics.