Latest news with #JulioBerdegué
CNN
14-05-2025
- Politics
- CNN
US halts live cattle imports from Mexico to quell screwworm spread
The US Department of Agriculture has suspended the transport of live cattle, horses and bison through ports of entry along the border with Mexico for at least two weeks. It's part of an effort to curb the spread of New World screwworm, a flesh-burrowing larva that can be fatal to animals and devastate cattle herds. The parasite was detected in Mexican farms as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, roughly 700 miles from the US border. 'The protection of our animals and safety of our nation's food supply is a national security issue of the utmost importance,' Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins said in a statement Sunday. 'This is not about politics or punishment of Mexico, rather it is about food and animal safety.' Mexican Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegué said on X that he had spoken with Rollins, who informed him of the decision. 'We don't agree with this measure, but we're confident we'll reach an agreement sooner rather than later,' Berdegué said. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also expressed discontent over the US's decision, describing it as 'unfair' amid tariffs imposed on other goods. 'We do not agree with this measure,' Sheinbaum said Monday. 'The Mexican government has been working on all fronts from the very first moment we were alerted to the screwworm.' The US had shut down the border for live animal trade from Mexico in November after screwworms were detected in the southern part of the country, then lifted the ban in February when measures were put in place to evaluate animals before they entered the US. The new import suspension will be reviewed on a 'month-by-month' basis until there is demonstrated containment, USDA said. 'Secretary Berdegué and I have worked closely on the NWS response; however, it is my duty to take all steps within my control to protect the livestock industry in the United States from this devastating pest,' Rollins said. Screwworm flies lay eggs in the open wounds or orifices of warm-blooded animals. These fly larvae, the screwworms or maggots, burrow into the flesh of the animal, which can cause serious damage, leading to infections and death in some instances. Although it primarily affects livestock, it can infest people, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Infestations are painful, and the larvae may be visible in a wound. In April, Mexico's Health Ministry confirmed the country's first human case of screwworm in a 77-year-old woman in the southern state of Chiapas. She received antibiotic treatment for the infection and remained in stable condition. Screwworm was declared eradicated in the US in 1966, but an outbreak in 1972 resulted in tens of thousands of cases in livestock across multiple Southern states. Texas alone found 90,000 cases, after reporting 444 the previous year. Since 1982, only a handful of cases have been documented, most notably in 2016 in the Florida Keys, when screwworm infected a deer population. Over the past two years, screwworm has spread north from countries such as Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, Belize and now Mexico, the USDA said. 'The United States and Mexico continue efforts to interdict and eradicate NWS in Mexico and work in good faith,' the USDA said. 'However, despite these efforts and the economic impact on both countries due to this action, there has been unacceptable northward advancement of NWS and additional action must be taken to slow the northern progression of this deadly parasitic fly.'
The Independent
12-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
What to know about screwworm threats as US suspends livestock imports from Mexico over flesh eating maggot
The U.S. has announced the immediate suspension of live cattle, horse, and bison imports through ports along the southern border, citing the 'continued and rapid northward spread' of a parasite in Mexico known as the New World Screwworm. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said that the insect has recently been detected in remote farms hundreds of miles away from the U.S. border, and that the countries are continuing efforts to eradicate the insect in Mexico. However, despite these efforts and the economic impact on both countries, the government said there has been 'unacceptable northward advancement' and additional action must be taken to slow the northern progression of this deadly parasitic fly. Those actions include restricting imports on a month-by-month basis, and 'until a significant window of containment is achieved.' Another review of metrics and data will take place in two weeks. Mexican Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegué said on X that Rollins had told him the border would be closed to live cattle exports for 15 days. 'The United States has ordered the suspension of livestock imports through ports of entry along our southern border after the continued spread of the New World Screwworm in Mexico. Secretary Berdegué and I have worked closely on the NWS response; however, it is my duty to take all steps within my control to protect the livestock industry in the United States from this devastating pest,' said Rollins. But, what is the New World Screwworm? What are the dangers it poses? Here's what more you should know... What is it? The New World Screwworm is a deadly parasitic fly. It is endemic in Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and countries in South America, with cases spreading northward. The adults are about the size of a common housefly, with orange eyes, a metallic blue or green body, and three dark stripes on their backs. What's the danger? It infests warm-blooded animals, using its mouth hooks to burrow into the flesh. It often causes severe wounds and complications that can lead to death. Painful infestations begin when a female lays eggs into a wound, sometimes as many as 300 at a time. Eggs hatch into larvae that burrow into the wound to feed on the living flesh. After a week of feeding, they drop to the ground, burrow into the soil, become a pupa, and emerge. Secondary infections may occur in already-infected wounds. Are humans affected? The New World Screwworm can infect any living mammal, including humans. People in endemic countries, those who frequently work with livestock, anyone with open sores or wounds, and people who are older or immunocompromised are at greater risk of infection. Symptoms in humans are similar to those in other mammals. In animals, look for head shaking, a smell of decay, evidence of maggots in wounds or a fly strike, and irritated behavior. Prevention and treatment? The best way to prevent infection is to avoid exposure — including sleeping outside — and be alert for symptoms in people with a history of recent travel to endemic regions. People should also clean and cover wounds, wear loose-fitting, long-sleeved shirts, pants and socks, and use Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellents. The only way to treat an infection is to remove the larvae from the impacted tissue. 'There are anecdotal reports of using ivermectin in off-label treatment of NWS infestations in humans. However, there are no controlled, double-blind studies measuring the impact of ivermectin use on myiasis,' the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes. When was it first reported in the U.S.? The first migration of New World Screwworm was reported in the 1930s. More than three decades and millions of dollars later, the Department of Agriculture eradicated it from the U.S. by releasing sterile flies into areas where known populations were established. However, there is a constant risk of reintroduction into the United States. Since then, the first case in Mexico was reported to the U.S. last November. 'Although we haven't confirmed any New World screwworms in the United States, we need you to be on high alert,' said Dr. Lew Strickland, an associate professor at the University of Tennessee, in a statement. What if I have beef in my fridge from Mexico? Beef in the fridge — even if it's from Mexico — should not contain New World Screwworm larvae. The larvae need living flesh. But, there could be other impacts on consumers, including on livestock and prices. Just how much of an impact is uncertain at this point. Rollins asserted that the protection of animals and the safety of the nation's food supply is 'a national security issue of the utmost importance.' 'Once we see increased surveillance and eradication efforts, and the positive results of those actions, we remain committed to opening the border for livestock trade. This is not about politics or punishment of Mexico, rather it is about food and animal safety,' she said.
12-05-2025
- Health
US suspends Mexican live cattle exports over screwworm pest
MEXICO CITY -- The United States will suspend Mexican exports of live cattle for 15 days to review the joint strategy in the fight against the screwworm, Mexico's Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegué said on social media Sunday. Berdegué said on social platform X that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, Brooke Rollins, who had informed him of the decision. 'We don't agree with this measure, but we're confident we'll reach an agreement sooner rather than later,' Berdegué said. The U.S. restricted Mexican cattle shipments in late November following the detection of the pest, but lifted the ban in February after protocols were put in place to evaluate the animals prior to entry into the country. But there has been an 'unacceptable northward advancement' of the screwworm, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement Sunday. 'Additional action must be taken to slow the northern progression of this deadly parasitic fly,' the statement added. The screwworm is a larva of the Cochliomyia hominivorax fly that can invade the tissues of any warm-blooded animal, including humans. The parasite enters animals' skin, causing severe damage and lesions that can be fatal. Mexico's Health Ministry issued an epidemiological alert this month after the first human case of screwworm myiasis was confirmed on April 17 in a 77-year-old woman living in the southern state of Chiapas.
CBS News
11-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
U.S. suspends importation of live cattle from Mexico over screwworm pest
The United States will suspend imports of live cattle through ports along the southern border with Mexico for at least two weeks to review the joint strategy in the fight against the screwworm, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Sunday. Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement that the screwworm, which is parasite that could be fatal, was recently detected in remote farms as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, about 700 miles away from the U.S. border. "The protection of our animals and safety of our nation's food supply is a national security issue of the utmost importance," she said in a statement. "Once we see increased surveillance and eradication efforts, and the positive results of those actions, we remain committed to opening the border for livestock trade. This is not about politics or punishment of Mexico, rather it is about food and animal safety." Mexico's Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegué said on social media that he had spoken with Rollins, who had informed of the decision. "We don't agree with this measure, but we're confident we'll reach an agreement sooner rather than later," Berdegué said. What is a screwworm? The screwworm is a larva of the Cochliomyia hominivorax fly that can invade the tissues of any warm-blooded animal, including humans. The parasite enters animals' skin, causing severe damage and lesions that can be fatal. Cattle are detained in the pens of the Chihuahua Regional Livestock Union, at the Jeronimo-Santa Teresa border crossing in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Christian Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images Mexico's Health Ministry issued an epidemiological alert this month after the first human case of screwworm myiasis was confirmed on April 17 in a 77-year-old woman living in the southern state of Chiapas. Also this year, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department issued a warning in January about animals that may been impacted by the dangerous "maneater" parasites. The U.S. restricted Mexican cattle shipments in late November following the detection of the pest but lifted the ban in February after protocols were put in place to evaluate the animals prior to entry into the country. But there has been an "unacceptable northward advancement" of the screwworm, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement Sunday. "Additional action must be taken to slow the northern progression of this deadly parasitic fly," the statement added. Over the last two years, screwworm has spread north throughout Panama and into Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, and now Mexico, the department said.
Toronto Star
11-05-2025
- Business
- Toronto Star
US suspends Mexican live cattle exports over screwworm pest
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The United States will suspend Mexican exports of live cattle for 15 days to review the joint strategy in the fight against the screwworm, Mexico's Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegué said on social media Sunday. Berdegué said on social platform X that he had spoken with his U.S. counterpart, Brooke Rollins, who had informed him of the decision.
