Screwworm Reaches Arizona for First Time as Outbreak Spreads

The US Department of Agriculture confirmed the first instance of New World screwworm in Arizona late Wednesday. According to Live Mint, the infection was detected in a dog in Cochise County. This marks the third state where the parasite has been found as cases spread west.

The infestation, which involves larvae that burrow into animal wounds, has seen an increase in activity this month. While early cases were largely limited to Texas, Live Mint reports that the pace of infections has accelerated, particularly in New Mexico. The USDA has recorded 71 total cases in the US since the outbreak began in June, with 18 currently active, including 10 in New Mexico.

The spread follows the recent discovery of the parasite in wildlife. Insurance Journal describes the parasite as a threat to the US cattle herd. This outbreak occurs as the USDA has begun a phased reopening of ports in Arizona and New Mexico for cattle shipments from Mexico, following a previous ban on livestock shipments from that country.

Brief written by urgent.news from Insurance Journal, Live Mint — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.