The Delaware Department of Agriculture’s Poultry and Animal Health Section has been closely watching the situation after the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed the presence of New World Screwworm in Texas on June 3.
Despite the detection in Texas, state agriculture officials want Delaware residents to know that no cases of the pest have been identified in Delaware or anywhere else in the mid-Atlantic region. Officials also emphasize that the national food supply is not at risk.
The New World Screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae can infest the open wounds of warm-blooded animals, posing a serious threat to livestock. Delaware agriculture authorities say they are actively monitoring the situation and will continue to track any developments as they unfold.
