New World Screwworm

More cases of the New World Screwworm are being reported. KEDT's Rob Boscamp says 27 cases of the New World Screwworm have now been reported in the country in the past month, with all but one in Texas. Meanwhile, Lubbock city leaders are asking for citizens’ opinions ahead of a public meeting to discuss the subject of large-scale data centers. The meeting will take place on July 7 at 5:30 p.m. at the banquet hall of the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. The city is also taking public opinion in an online survey that’s open through July 2. Results of the survey will be presented at the July 7 meeting.You can find a link to that survey here.

There is bipartisan agreement that the country is not producing nearly enough sterile flies to combat the flesh-eating parasite, which threatens to wreak havoc on Texas' livestock industry.

Attention has mounted surrounding Texas’ cattle industry due to the detection of New World Screwworm in the state, but our Brad Burt reports livestock are not the only ones affected. Experts are encouraging pet owners to be vigilant in checking their pets and to use tick prevention. FDA-approved tick prevention for dogs can be found in topical or tablet form and for cats, the CDC recommends speaking to a vet before applying a tick prevention product.

A South Texas veterinarian says older generations remember when screwworm infestations took a toll on local deer populations. Now, wildlife officials are working to keep the parasite from spreading again and threatening Texas' $10 billion hunting industry.

Cattle from Mexico have been barred from the United States for most the past year to prevent the parasite from entering. Ranchers in Sonora say this method was a mistake.

The latest confirmed infestation was found in a sheep in Sutton County, adding to concerns that the flesh-eating parasite is spreading beyond South Texas.

Governor Abbott has declared a state of emergency over the New World Screwworm and its potential impact on the U.S. livestock industry, as state experts are calling on all Texans to help monitor for the flies. Meanwhile, West Texas ranchers are not panicking, taking the news as another part of an already difficult job.

The head of the oldest and largest cattle association in Texas said there is "no need to panic" over a screwworm outbreak in the state. Texas Public Radio's Brian Kirkpatrick reports on screwworm response. With summer here and more people spending time outside, Lubbock Public Health is warning residents about the West Nile virus. Our new student reporter Gabrielle De La Cruz has more on symptoms and prevention. Residents are encouraged to report mosquito breeding areas through Lubbock Vector Control.

The latest cases involve a calf in La Salle County, about 90 miles south of San Antonio and roughly 50 miles from the Mexican border, and a dog in Andrews County in West Texas near the New Mexico border, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.