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News|Articles|June 26, 2026

New World screwworm tracker: US case count and response update for the week of June 26, 2026

Author(s)dvm360 Staff

dvm360 is providing weekly updates on confirmed New World screwworm (NWS) detections in the United States, drawn from the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) public dashboard. Figures reflect the dashboard as of June 26, 2026; data updates daily at 6 p.m. ET.

By the numbers

  • Total confirmed animal cases: 25 (all domestic)
  • Active: 22 | Inactive: 3
  • Wildlife/feral cases: 0
  • Fly trap detections: 0
  • Most recent reported animal detection: June 24, 2026
  • States affected: Texas and New Mexico, concentrated in South and West Texas

What changed this week

  • Total animal cases rose to 25, with 22 still active
  • Detections have continued to expand across additional Texas counties over the past 30 days
  • All confirmed cases to date are in domestic animals; no wildlife/feral cases and no wild fly trap detections have been reported

Background

  • NWS (Cochliomyia hominivorax) is a parasitic fly whose larvae burrow into the living tissue of warm-blooded animals
  • Causes severe, potentially fatal wounds in livestock, pets, and wildlife — and, rarely, people
  • Eradicated from the US by the 1960s; first domestic detection in 60 years confirmed June 3, 2026, in a calf in Zavala County, Texas
  • Reportable foreign animal disease

Response efforts

  • USDA continues eradication via the sterile insect technique, with sterile-fly dispersal and joint state surveillance
  • [Any new developments this week: sterile fly volumes, new facilities, trapping expansions, new EUAs]

For veterinarians

  • FDA emergency use authorizations now cover dogs, cats, cattle, horses, and other species
  • Examine livestock and pets for draining or enlarging wounds and signs of discomfort
  • Check body openings and the navel of newborn animals for larvae and eggs
  • Report suspected cases immediately to a state animal health official or USDA

Source: USDA APHIS, New World Screwworm Confirmed Detections dashboard. dvm360 updates this tracker every Friday.


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