Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) activated a Level 3 emergency response, the lowest in its 3-level system, on June 11 to address recent New World screwworm (NWS) infestations detected in animals in southern Texas and one county in New Mexico. The CDC is assisting the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in this effort.
NWS primarily affects livestock, companion animals, and wildlife. Infestation occurs when flies lay eggs in wounds or body openings. According to the CDC, NWS is a parasitic infestation that cannot spread from animal to animal, animal to person, or person to person. There are currently no reported human cases in the United States, and the public risk remains low. The risk is specific to people and animals in areas where NWS flies are present.
The USDA initiated a coordinated strategy in 2025 to combat NWS, implemented through a national collaboration led by the U.S. One Health Coordination Unit–New World Screwworm Interagency Working Group, co-led by USDA, CDC, and the Department of the Interior. The CDC supports this unified response aimed at eradicating NWS in the United States, where it has previously been eliminated.
Healthcare providers, especially in affected regions, are encouraged to remain vigilant for possible NWS infestations in humans and report suspected cases to local or state health departments. Veterinarians are similarly advised to notify state animal health officials and the USDA APHIS Office about any suspicious animal infections. The CDC will provide further public information if human infestations occur within the United States.