health
Flesh-eating New World screwworm found in Texas calf, USDA says
The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the presence of a flesh-eating New World screwworm in Texas on Wednesday.
TL;DR
- A New World screwworm was confirmed in a 3-week-old calf in Zavala County, Texas.
- The USDA is implementing immediate eradication measures, including quarantines and traps.
- A screwworm was previously detected in Mexico, near the U.S. border.
- New World screwworm maggots can infest livestock, other warm-blooded animals, and rarely, humans.
- The USDA has invested in tools to eliminate the pest, expressing confidence in its eradication.