Contact: aphispress@usda.gov 

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 30, 2026—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has approved the release of the only New World screwworm (NWS) infested zone in New Mexico, concurring with the recommendation made by New Mexico’s state veterinarian, Dr. Samantha Holeck, and the New Mexico Livestock Board (NMLB). 

“New Mexico’s animal health officials have been exceptional partners throughout our response to New World screwworm. Their vigilance, expertise, and deep commitment to protecting livestock and wildlife exemplify the strong state–federal collaboration that makes our national safeguarding system work,” said Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dudley Hoskins. “Today’s milestone reflects not only New Mexico’s leadership, but the impact of USDA’s aggressive, science-driven actions to slow NWS spread and keep case numbers low across the United States. Together, we’re proving that early detection, rapid response, and close coordination are the keys to protecting producers, communities, and the health of our nation’s animals.”

This action comes after state and federal subject matter experts confirmed that New Mexico met all requirements outlined in APHIS’ New World Screwworm Response Playbook (884.59 KB) for zone release. No additional cases have been detected since the initial confirmation on June 7. The infested zone is officially released as of today, August 30. 

On June 7, the State of New Mexico detected its first—and only—case of NWS myiasis in a dog. APHIS and New Mexico officials quickly responded to the detection, establishing an infested zone and carrying out additional response activities including:

• Domestic animal movement requirements and animal inspections
• Wildlife and fly surveillance
• Strategic sterile NWS fly releases

Lifting the infested zone removes the NWS-related requirements on the domestic movement of livestock and pets from that area, allowing producers and owners to resume normal intrastate and interstate movement without inspection for NWS. It also enables APHIS to work with international trading partners to address and negotiate removal of New Mexico-specific NWS-related export restrictions.

APHIS will continue to work closely with New Mexico agriculture officials to ensure fly trapping and wildlife surveillance continue in New Mexico to monitor for any future risk of NWS introduction. The agency remains committed to science-driven surveillance, early detection, and rapid response measures nationwide. 

For more information about NWS and the current situation, please visit screwworm.gov.

New World Screwworm (NWS):

July 9, 2026: Since the initial detection on June 6, 2026 of New World Screwworm (NWS) larvae in a dog in Lea County, State agencies including NMLB, NMDA, NMDOH and NMDOW, NMHSEM and local responders have performed surveillance and addressed calls from the public. As of 6/16/2026 the case in Lea County is considered inactive and the dog has made a successful recovery. The infested zone (IZ) remains in place until the criteria for release have been met.

Note: NWS does not affect the food supply, it is treatable if caught early and is spread by the NWS fly.

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV):

June 28, 2026: To date four counties (Sandoval, Santa Fe, Rio Arriba and Valencia) have been confirmed with vesicular stomatitis. New Mexico is still the third state in the US to have a confirmed case of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) this year. Premises under quarantine will remain so until at least 14 days from the onset of lesions in the last affected animal. Please see the Quarantine County Map on our Animal Health page for current county status and the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services VSV website here to read the current situation report for all confirmed cases in the US.

June 9, 2026 - An emergency animal health declaration has been made in response to New World screwworm. Full declaration below:

Animal Health Officials Working Quickly to Protect U.S. Livestock and Wildlife

WASHINGTON, DC- JUNE 03, 2026 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the detection of a New World screwworm (NWS) in a bovine in Zavala County, Texas. NWS is a serious pest that affects livestock, pets, wildlife, and less commonly, people and birds. NWS larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of living animals, causing serious damage to livestock and economic losses.

The affected animal is a 3-week-old calf and larvae were identified in its umbilical area. To date, there have been no further detections.

“All models showed New World Screwworm entering the country in 2025; however, thanks to the hard work across the entire Trump administration and our industry, state, and local partners, we were able to buy time for this moment. Protecting our livestock industry is a national security issue of the utmost importance, and USDA is wasting no time in taking action,” said Dudley Hoskins, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. “USDA invested heavily in the tools needed to eliminate NWS ever since cases started increasing in Central America and Mexico. The United States has defeated this pest before, and we will do it again.”

USDA and Texas officials are taking immediate action to contain and eradicate NWS from the United States, following the strategies and actions outlined in the NWS Response Playbook. This includes:

• Forming a unified Incident Command Team with the Texas Animal Health Commission and deploying response personnel to the area;
• Establishing a 20 km infested zone around the detection and implementing quarantines, movement controls, and surveillance in this area;
• Expediting targeted release of sterile NWS flies by immediately deploying ground release chambers in the area, in addition to the 4 million sterile flies per week already being released aerially in the area;
• Increasing trapping for NWS flies along the border and just outside of the dispersal area;
• Implementing NWS surveillance and management strategies in wildlife; and
• Conducting targeted outreach in the local area.

Additionally, USDA’s National Veterinary Stockpile stands ready to assist, and will provide resources including treatments, equipment, and logistics support the response as needed.

USDA will continue to work with state departments of agriculture, animal health officials, industry, and producers to mitigate economic impacts of restrictions as much as possible, including negotiating with our trading partners to regionalize any trade restrictions on live animals, limiting them to defined geographic areas. 

NWS maggots can infest livestock and other warm-blooded animals, including in rare cases people. They most often enter an animal through an open wound and feed on the animal’s living flesh. 

USDA urges residents in the area to check their pets and livestock for signs of NWS. Look for draining or enlarging wounds and signs of discomfort. Also look for screwworm larvae (maggots) and eggs in or around body openings, such as the nose, ears, and genitalia or the navel of newborn animals. If you suspect your animal is infected with screwworm, contact your state animal health official or USDA area veterinarian in charge immediately.

While not common in people, if you notice a suspicious lesion on your body or suspect you may have contracted screwworm, seek immediate medical attention.

The U.S. food supply is safe. Screwworms do not infest meat, fruits, vegetables, or other food sources. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) ensures that the nation’s commercial supply of meat, poultry, and egg products is safe and properly labeled. Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), FSIS inspection personnel must inspect all eligible animal species unless they are exempt or covered by a state inspection program.

Any evidence of screwworm infestation in an animal would be identified during these inspections, and any contaminated product from an affected animal would not be allowed to enter the food supply. 

For more than a year, USDA has led a unified response to NWS. As the lead coordinating agency, USDA has deployed advanced surveillance systems and supported robust cross-border response efforts in Mexico and Central America to combat the pest and push NWS away from the United States. These efforts have bought time for USDA to increase domestic preparedness efforts.

Learn more about New World screwworm at Screwworm.gov.

Contact: APHISpress@usda.gov

The New Mexico Livestock Board is performing scrapie surveillance testing on sheep between 1.5-5 years of age that meet the genetic profile (black-faced/ mottle-faced meat sheep and their crosses) at NO COST to the producer. Sampling consists of drawing blood and performing a biopsy. New Mexico is a scrapie-free state, but needs to test to maintain its scrapie-free status.

If interested contact the New Mexico Livestock Board at (505) 841-6161 or email Dr. Alexandra Eckhoff at alexandra.eckhoff@nmlb.nm.gov .