National

USDA reports three new cases of screwworm, bringing total to 15

By Reuters Reuters
FILE PHOTO: A cow's tail swishes, a day after the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that New World screwworm was detected in a Texas calf, near Crystal City, Texas, U.S., June 4, 2026. REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A cow's tail swishes, a day after the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that New World screwworm was detected in a Texas calf, near Crystal City, Texas, U.S., June 4, 2026. REUTERS/Kaylee Greenlee/File Photo Kaylee Greenlee Reuters

The number of U.S. cases of New World screwworm has risen to 15 after three more animals tested positive in Texas, the Department of Agriculture said in a post on social media website X on Sunday.

The USDA announcement comes nearly three weeks after the first domestic screwworm infestation ​in six decades was found in a Texas calf.

New World screwworm is a serious ‌pest that can infest any warm-blooded animal, including livestock, pets, wildlife, and, in rare cases, people. The larvae burrow into the living tissue of animals, causing severe wounds that can eventually kill, animal suffering and significant economic losses.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas; Editing by Sergio Non and Christian Schmollinger)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 21, 2026 at 6:55 PM.

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