US Agriculture Dept confirms first detection of New World screwworm in US wildlife

WASHINGTON, Oct 21 — The US Department of Agriculture said ​on Wednesday it has confirmed the first detection of flesh-eating parasite New ‌World screwworm in US wildlife in an elk in Pecos ⁠County, Texas.

• The ​elk was located ⁠on a game ranch and was reported ‌after being ‌harvested by a hunter, the USDA said ⁠in a statement.

• ⁠The Texas Animal Health Commission will modify a previously established infested zone, and the USDA and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department are conducting additional wildlife surveillance ‌in the area, the ​USDA said.

• Eradicated from the US decades ago, the pest has surged north from Central America through Mexico, prompting Washington to impose a more than year-long ban on Mexican cattle imports.

• The US halted ​livestock imports from Mexico last year to ‌keep out ‌screwworm ⁠but resumed trade in August at an Arizona port as part of a phased reopening plan.

• The halt helped tighten US ‌cattle supplies and push ​beef prices to ‌record highs for ⁠American consumers.

(Reporting ​by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Matthew ​Lewis)

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