Governor Greg Abbott has amplified Texas's response to the New World screwworm by expanding a statewide disaster declaration. This move mobilizes all state resources to combat the parasitic fly, focusing efforts on Zavala and Uvalde counties. The strategy centers on releasing sterile male flies to disrupt the screwworm's reproduction cycle. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has established quarantine and surveillance zones to contain the spread.
[IMAGE_1] The infestation poses a severe economic threat, with potential damages estimated at $1.8 billion and risks to the livestock industry and beef prices. Federal and state agencies are working to establish sterile fly production facilities, though current operations rely on supplies from Panama. The rapid dispersal of sterile flies is deemed critical to prevent widespread agricultural and ecological damage.
