USDA moves to contain new Texas screwworm outbreak

The agency is mobilizing resources to combat the infestation, committing over one billion dollars to push the pest back across the border into Mexico. Officials view the effort as a repeat of the successful eradication campaign conducted 50 years ago. The parasite, known as the New World screwworm, functions as a fly larva that burrows into the tissue of warm-blooded animals, potentially causing severe, life-threatening wounds if left untreated.

Recent findings include a case in La Salle County and another in Andrews County, bringing the total count to four. Early reports suggest the affected dog recently traveled from Mexico, while the case in Zavala County was identified just five miles from the initial detection point. Secretary Rollins emphasized that the parasite is manageable through targeted treatment rather than systemic disease control measures, and field teams are already deployed to monitor the affected regions.