In less than a month, screwworm cases increased by 50 percent in Quintana Roo, rising from 148 in mid-October to 235 by the first week of November, according to Sergio Crisanto Morteo, president of the state’s Livestock Development and Protection Committee.
Crisanto Morteo indicated that the municipalities of Bacalar and Othón P. Blanco account for more than 50 percent of the total cases reported in the state, with 80 and 70 registered, respectively.
Cattle ranchers, especially those from Chiapas, have been affected by the screwworm infestation.
However, the president of the Quintana Roo Livestock Development and Protection Committee acknowledged that the actual number of cases could be higher, as most producers do not report the presence of screwworms in their livestock, which has hindered official counting.
Together with the Quintana Roo Secretariat of Agricultural, Rural, and Fisheries Development (SEDARPE), they have established support programs such as the distribution of ivermectin in areas where the larvae are present, and have provided training to producers.
However, it was noted that the situation could improve by the end of 2026, since, according to information released by the National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA), the sterile fly production plant in the state of Chiapas is expected to begin operations next year. Therefore, Quintana Roo is expected to be among the first states to use biological control for fly management.
Source: milenio
