USDA Confirms Second Screwworm Infestation in Texas, Canada Bans Livestock Imports
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed a second case of the New World screwworm in Texas, prompting Canada to temporarily ban livestock imports from the region. The screwworm, a parasitic fly whose larvae consume living tissue, was detected in a calf in Zavala County, Texas. This follows an earlier case in La Pryor, Texas, near the U.S.-Mexico border. The USDA, along with the Texas Animal Health Commission, has established a quarantine zone to prevent the spread of the parasite. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has expanded a statewide disaster declaration to combat the outbreak, reallocating state resources and accelerating the deployment of sterile flies to disrupt the screwworm's reproductive cycle. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has restricted livestock imports from Texas, citing the potential threat to animal health, although the colder Canadian climate is less conducive to the fly's long-term survival. 
