Texas Screwworm Outbreak Prompts Canada Livestock Ban and Emergency Measures

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Ottawa : Canada has temporarily suspended the entry of livestock from Texas after fresh cases of the flesh-eating New World screwworm were detected in calves near the US-Mexico border, raising concerns about the spread of the destructive parasite across North America.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced that cattle, horses and other livestock that have been in Texas within 21 days before crossing the border will not be allowed into Canada. The move follows the confirmation of two screwworm cases in Texas this week, the first reported in the state in six decades.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster on Friday, warning that the outbreak poses an immediate threat to the state's agricultural industry and could expand during the summer months. State and federal authorities have increased surveillance, imposed movement controls and established a quarantine zone around the affected area.

The parasite was eradicated from the United States in 1966 after decades of control efforts. However, a growing outbreak in Mexico and parts of Central America has renewed fears of its return. Officials believe the current Texas cases are linked to that wider regional spread.

Although Canadian authorities say the country's colder climate makes long-term establishment of the parasite unlikely, farmers and pet owners have been advised to remain vigilant for infected wounds, particularly in animals that have travelled to Texas.

The United States and Canada maintain a significant cross-border livestock trade, with hundreds of thousands of cattle moving between the two countries each year for breeding, dairy and meat production.

To contain the outbreak, US officials are preparing to release large numbers of sterile flies designed to disrupt screwworm reproduction. Other measures, including the use of specially trained detection dogs, are also being deployed, though some experts remain uncertain whether the efforts will be sufficient to stop the parasite's spread.