Story perspectives

USDA-DHS MOU Spurs Drone Surveillance to Stop Screwworm Spread

8/13/2026

Summary

Rollins Combats Screwworm

Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced a USDA-DHS Memorandum of Understanding on Aug. 10, 2026 to combat New World screwworm.
The MOU establishes unified threat detection, biosurveillance, joint training and AI-driven drone operations.
Since June 3, 2026 APHIS has flown more than 1,000 drone missions in Texas, monitoring over 20,000 animals.
Production at Moore Air Base is ahead of schedule, releasing 100 million sterile male screwworms in Mexico and Texas.

Summary

Mexico Alerts Screwworm

A study in Emerging Infectious Diseases recorded 204 Mexican human screwworm cases from April 2025 to March 2026, with six deaths, one parasite-caused.
Mexico’s Ministry of Health reports 500 human cases since reemergence, especially where animal cases rose.
Experts warn the fly’s northward spread mirrors rising human infections and urge surveillance and movement controls.
Reuters projects up to $1 billion in losses for Texas livestock from deaths, treatment and trade impacts.

History

Historical Context

The sterile-insect technique, developed by the USDA, was first field-tested on Curaçao in 1954 and grew into a US-Mexico program that released more than 94 billion sterile screwworm flies from 1962 to 1975, wiping out the pest in the United States by 1966. After sightings in southern Mexico (2024) and Texas (June 2026), APHIS and Mexico’s agriculture ministry resumed massive releases to shield the livestock industry.

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Rollins Combats Screwworm

Secretary Brooke L. Rollins announced a USDA-DHS Memorandum of Understanding on Aug. 10, 2026 to combat New World screwworm.
The MOU establishes unified threat detection, biosurveillance, joint training and AI-driven drone operations.
Since June 3, 2026 APHIS has flown more than 1,000 drone missions in Texas, monitoring over 20,000 animals.
Production at Moore Air Base is ahead of schedule, releasing 100 million sterile male screwworms in Mexico and Texas.

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