Screwworm Outbreak Spreads Beyond Initial Quarantine Zones in Belize

Despite attempts by agricultural authorities to contain the outbreak of new world screwworm to the south, cases are now popping up in other areas. The latest information coming from the Ministry of Agriculture shows that there are now more than 30 confirmed cases in four of the six districts. The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) is urging all animal owners to be vigilant and to take immediate action if they detect a suspected case. Dr. Roxanna Alvarez, Director of Animal Health at BAHA, says that the parasite, which was originally detected in cattle last December, has begun showing up in other animals.

Dr. Roxanna Alvarez, Director of Animal Heath, BAHA: “From then to now we have 33 confirmed cases of New World’s Screwworm, twenty seven  in Toledo, four in Cayo, one in Orange Walk and then the last one to join is the Belize District, of course. The animals affected have been cattle, pigs, dogs, sheep, and a horse. We’ve had three dogs. It is not actually limited to livestock it’s limited to all warm-blooded animals and of course you know that Belize has many warm-blooded wild animals. And then, of course, humans are warm-blooded animals. In Central America,we have had countries that have had more than 50 cases in humans. So it is a zoonotic disease. It’s considered a zoonotic disease. This pest affects all warm-blooded animals, and we are. So we need to be prepared. And there’s a lot that we can do to actually be prepared. It’s not only about the animals, like I said, but we also need to take care of ourselves.”

In the early 2000s, the pest had been eradicated in Central America, but cases began to reemerge in 2023. Dr. Alvarez says that the high number of cases in Guatemala is believed to be a major contributor to the current infestation in Belize. 

Dr. Roxanna Alvarez, Director of Animal Heath, BAHA: “The quantity of the number of animals that leave the Toledo district that move is very small compared to other areas of the country. Unfortunately, our neighbors are heavily infested and it is a fly. So it continues to move. It continues to fly you know ? So we have to consider that it would spread. And by the numbers that we have seen, we are  considering that it is spillover, we are considering a lot of factors, you know.  We also have to consider wildlife because wildlife move and Belize has very vibrant wildlife. We have several wildlife corridors within Belize and these are things that  help us to understand that it might not necessarily only be  animal movement, illegal animal movement, of course I’m not discarding that possibility, right?  And also I’m still encouraging people to ensure that whatever movement of small stock or livestock you do  is done legally and properly and it’s done that way for a reason.”

BAHA is reminding the public that strict regulations are in place. Contravening the Belize Agricultural Health Authority Statutory Instrument 143 of 2024, concerning New World Screwworm prevention, control, and eradication, can result in severe penalties. Violators may face fines of up to five thousand dollars, imprisonment for up to three years, or both.