Mexico’s food safety agency, National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA), has reported a fresh case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo León, located about 70 miles (113 km) from the US border, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
“USDA is analysing all new information related to the recent case in Nuevo Leon and will pursue all options to release sterile flies in this region as necessary,” USDA said.
According to the US public health agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New World screwworm (NWS) is a species of parasitic fly that can cause myiasis and feeds on live tissue.
CDS adds that it mostly affects livestock, but it can also infest people. USDA said that it can enter an animal through an open wound and feed on the animal’s living flesh.
The USDA has also raised an alarm, noting that while New World screwworm infections in humans are rare, anyone who notices a suspicious lesion or believes they may have been exposed should seek immediate medical attention.
‘Protecting US from NWS is top priority’
“Protecting the United States from NWS is non-negotiable and a top priority of the Trump Administration,” USDA quoted Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L Rollins as saying.
He added, “This is a national security priority. We have given Mexico every opportunity and every resource necessary to counter NWS since announcing the NWS Bold Plan in June 2025.”
USDA, in a press release, said that it is working closely with the following federal agencies, including CDC and FDA, to ensure a unified national response.