Mexico's screw-worm fly outbreak spreads across northern states

Health officials in Jalisco confirmed a third human case of myiasis caused by the screw‑worm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax), a 70‑year‑old woman who is recovering at home. The same agency reports 35 recent infestations in dogs and three in humans across the state.

The infestation has moved northward, with the first case recorded in Sinaloa and a total of six northern states now reporting confirmed livestock infections: Nuevo León (334 cases), Coahuila (167), Tamaulipas (118), Durango (67), Chihuahua (2) and Sinaloa (1). Combined, the outbreak has a reported 689 animal cases, affecting cattle, goats, sheep and pets.

The spread has prompted the United States Department of Agriculture to maintain a ban on live Mexican cattle imports, causing multimillion‑dollar losses for producers. Authorities are deploying sterile‑male fly releases and other bio‑control measures to halt transmission.