US warns of New World Screwworm threat near Texas border

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a warning for travelers and livestock owners in Texas, alerting them to the New World Screwworm (NWS) detected as close as 55 miles from the U.S.–Mexico border. The agency urges owners to watch for signs of infestation in animals and to report suspected cases.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that a six‑month‑old sheep in Coahuila, Mexico, was found infected with the screwworm, placing the parasite only 31 miles from the U.S. border. Officials say an entry of the pest could jeopardize the U.S. cattle supply, potentially adding up to $1.8 billion in damages to Texas’s beef industry and driving beef prices higher. USDA and Mexican authorities are deploying sterile‑fly releases to contain the outbreak, though the program is not yet fully operational.