BAHA Confirms Second Screwworm Outbreak in Toledo as Containment Efforts Intensify

The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has intensified its efforts to control the spread of the new world screwworm after detecting the county’s second case. This week, the Belize Agriculture Health Authority (BAHA) confirmed the second case of the parasite in the Toledo District. The parasite was first detected in the remote community of Crique Sarcoand has now spread to San Pedro Columbia Village. The outbreak is suspect to have been the result of cattle smuggling which the authorities are now working overtime to contain. This morning, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Jose Mai spoke on his ministry’s efforts to ensure all cattle coming of the district is safe in hopes of preventing its spread to other parts of the country. 

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Home Affairs: “That case caught us by surprise because it’s deep in the Central part of the Toledo district. Our team is on the ground, BAHA, the extension officers, BLPA are all on the ground right now combing the area. They’re doing a house to house and a farm to farm camping looking to see if there are any more cases up to now no other case has been found. None has been reported and so I believe that however it got there, I don’t know how it got there. We suspect two possibilities, one wildlife and two the movement of cattle from Guatemala. The last case in Guatemala was eleven miles from Crique Sarco so we figured initially that it could have been wildlife because distances could be easily flown by fly but we also discovered that there are farmers in the area that are farming and their animals appear to be coming from Guatemala. So we have moved if we know that then we can act so we acted upon saying no animals are allowed to come over without inspecting properly. It’s difficult to stop the flow of cattle but if we are informed then we move to treat animals, inspect animals before they move. Right now we’re putting up a control station. A control station is actually what controls the flow of animals. That is being I think in Bella Vista is the location that was told is the best place to place the control point. In other words all animals coming out of that area have to be thoroughly inspected and treated before they cross the area. So we like I said the ground campaign seems to be going very well. The reports I got last night is that they’re having very good response from the community, they’re bringing forth their animals, they’re treating animals and so I think if that continues we’ll be able to contain that outbreak in Toledo.”

Minister Mai also added that while the second case is extremely concerning, the ministry has been able to work out a deal with Mexico that will not affect the exportation of cattle to Mexico.

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Home Affairs: “So far it is good. We have two. We’re the last country in Central America to have the infestation of screw worm. It speaks volumes of us, volumes of the control we are doing. We had a meeting last week where the USDA representative was in the meeting with us and he commended Belize for a job well done. Being the last country in Central America to have screw worm speaks volumes to the work we’re doing. We continue in dialogue with Mexico. Mexico has said to us not a day will be lost in exportation. As a matter of fact Mexico has offered to reduce the number of quarantine days from 21 days to seven days, that is to be finalized now that the holidays are over and the SANASICA is back on track working and that will help us reduce the cost of exporting cattle formally and that will then give us the competition over informal markets.”

Mai says BAHA is also holding sensitization sessions with cattle farmers from various communities.