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US, Mexico, and Panama launch massive sterile fly release to fight screwworm
Governments in the United States, Mexico, and Panama are intensifying efforts to combat the New World screwworm, a pest that can cause significant damage to livestock and wildlife. The United States has reached a milestone of releasing one billion sterile flies to disrupt the pest's breeding cycle, with production facilities operating in Texas, Chiapas, Mexico, and Panama.
In Mexico, authorities have released 73.9 million sterile flies across strategic sites in Chihuahua and Sonora. These efforts have already shown results in Chihuahua, where active cases decreased by 71% from 227 to 64. To support these biological controls, Senasica has inspected thousands of livestock production units and treated over 100,000 animals with preventive medications.
To improve the efficiency of these operations, USDA researchers are advancing the use of NovoFly™, an all-male strain of the screwworm. This genetic approach allows for the production of only males, effectively doubling the number of flies available for release. The pest poses a major economic threat, with potential damages estimated at $2.5 billion in the Southwest United States alone.
Entities
ARS · Brooke Rollins · Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory · Mexico · New World screwworm · NovoFly · Panama · USDA · United States · United States Department of Agriculture
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Mexico has released 73.9 million sterile flies via land in the northwest of the country. canal44.com · www.lavozdemichoacan.com.mx
- [● 4 SOURCES] The United States government has released its billionth sterile fly in Texas. abc17news.com · keyt.com · krdo.com · kesq.com
- [● 4 SOURCES] The New World screwworm could cause $2.5 billion in damages in the Southwest United States. abc17news.com · keyt.com · krdo.com · kesq.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The administration is ramping up sterile fly production across Texas, Mexico, and Panama. keyt.com · kesq.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] USDA researchers developed NovoFly™, an all-male strain of screwworm to improve production efficiency. www.thecattlesite.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] Active cases of screwworm in Chihuahua decreased by 71%, from 227 to 64 cases. canal44.com · www.lavozdemichoacan.com.mx