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HARLINGEN, Texas (Border Report) — Officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture have announced that a horse housed at an equine import quarantine facility in Florida has tested positive for the New World screwworm.
The USDA confirmed the findings on Friday after laboratory tests conducted in Iowa verified the presence of the screwworm in the horse.
In response, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has taken precautionary steps by declaring the New World screwworm a state disaster, aiming to raise awareness about the potential threat posed by these insects.
South Texas correspondent Sandra Sanchez discusses Governor Abbott’s declaration and its implications in the latest episode of Border Report Live.
New World screwworms are parasitic flies that deposit their larvae into open wounds of animals, which can lead to infection and potentially fatal outcomes within weeks. The threat extends beyond livestock to include small pets and even humans.
If it crosses into Texas the screwworm could cause $2.7 billion in damages to the cattle industry.
The federal government says sterilized flies will be dropped into Texas, north of the border, as well as in the northern Mexican state of Tamaulipas where 11 cases have been reported.
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