New World Screwworm Threat Rising | Panama City Beach News

Screwworms are back in the U.S., with 45 confirmed cases in August alone — mostly in Texas, one in New Mexico — targeting livestock and pets. Though humans haven’t been infected yet, these flies can lay eggs on any warm-blooded creature, including us, especially if we have open wounds or scrapes. One female can lay hundreds to thousands of eggs, and larvae burrow into living tissue — potentially deadly if untreated. Doctors must surgically remove them; farmers are racing to contain the outbreak. The USDA is deploying sterile flies to break breeding cycles, while the FDA has approved emergency preventative meds. If you’re outdoors around animals with cuts, stay vigilant — this isn’t just a bug, it’s a biological threat. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/738be7bf13c867a6