Overview
- As of August 20, 2026, confirmed New World screwworm cases remain focused in four Texas counties and have included livestock and a small number of dogs.
- Forty-four states have put inspections or bans on animals from the affected Texas areas, which has paused many out-of-state transfers and left Texas shelters overcrowded.
- Smaller facilities are already releasing sterile male flies bred in Panama and the USDA plans a reported $750 million production facility in southern Texas to breed billions of sterile males for broad releases.
- Veterinarians urge owners to keep pets on flea and tick prevention and to check wounds closely because even tiny bites can attract screwworm flies and lead to infestation.
- The sterile-male release method is the same tactic that eradicated screwworm in the U.S. by the early 1970s, and authorities say reviving it is central to preventing heavy losses for livestock and easing the shelter crisis.