Flesh-Eating Screwworm Reappears in US: 5 Things to Know

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said more sterile flies are desperately needed to combat the screwworms before next May.

Flesh-Eating Screwworm Reappears in US: 5 Things to Know

TL;DR

  • A calf in Zavala County, Texas, tested positive for the New World screwworm on June 3.
  • A second infected calf was found two days later in the same county, close to the first case.
  • This is the first U.S. outbreak of the parasite since 2016.
  • Cattlemen and landowners in South Texas have been tracking the parasite's movement north from Panama since 2023.