Inching Closer: New World Screwworm Now 52 Miles from Border

New World screwworm (NWS) continues to creep closer to the U.S.-Mexico border. According to Lyndsay Cole, chief of strategic communications NWS directorate for USDA-APHIS, Mexico has reported two new cases in Nuevo León that are about 52 miles away from the border and one was reported Wednesday about 55 miles away in Coahuila.

“There are no cases or suspect cases in the U.S.,” Cole stresses.

A Narrowing Buffer Zone

There are currently 2,072 active cases of NWS in Mexico. USDA continues to disperse 100 million sterile insects per week in Mexico and along the U.S.-Mexico border and closely evaluates the location and circumstances of each new case. The sterile insect release area, or polygon, is adjusted as needed to maintain broad suppression and help prevent the pest from moving into the U.S.

Early Detection: The Stench of Infestation

As NWS inches closer, industry leaders urge producers to shift from worry to action. Early detection, prompt reporting and treatment — backed by coordinated surveillance along the border — will be critical to keeping the treatable pest contained.