The U.S. Department of Agriculture counts 113 confirmed New World screwworm cases in the U.S., including 36 in October and 24 so far in November, according to its online dashboard. Cases have been found in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. USDA says the system for spotting and reporting new cases is working.
USDA's main tool is releasing sterile flies so the pest cannot reproduce. The agency said it has historically taken about 500 million sterile flies a week. It said a plant in Panama makes about 100 million flies a week and a plant in Mexico about 40 million. A new plant at Moore Air Base in South Texas is due to finish construction next April. Dudley Hoskins, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, said the goal is to produce 100 million sterile flies there by this time next year.
Texas A&M entomologist Aaron Tarone said milder fall weather is likely affecting fly numbers. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller called for faster federal action. Texas A&M researchers are testing electron beams as a way to sterilize the flies instead of the radioactive cobalt now used. Dr. Suresh Pillai, director of the National Center for Electron Beam Research, said early tests look good. The results have not been peer reviewed, and USDA says the technology still has to be validated.
USDA says New World screwworm is not a food safety risk. Experts from USDA and Texas A&M say there is no need to panic, but people should stay alert. They advise checking animals often, calling a veterinarian and reporting anything suspicious to the Texas Animal Health Commission.