TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Live cattle, horses and bison are temporarily banned from crossing the U.S. Southern border, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The USDA's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service and Customs and Border Protection will restrict live animal commodities originating from, or passing through, Mexico. Any livestock currently in holding for entry will be processed normally.
The USDA announced changes to its live import policy on May 11 as part of a continuing effort with Mexican officials to prevent the spread of New World Screwworm, or NWS.
The parasitic fly infects warm-blooded animals, like livestock, according to the Centers for Disease Control. The NWS flies lay eggs in open wounds. When larvae hatch, the bury— or screw— themselves into healthy parts of the body using small hooks on their mouths, causing that wound to grow.
Though these flies can infect humans, the CDC says those cases are rare.
The USDA said in a press release that NWS infestations were found in remote farms in Mexican cities Oaxaca and Veracruz. Both cities are more than 900 miles from the U.S. southern border.
The USDA says they'll stay in contact with officials in Mexico, reviewing data over the next two weeks to work towards containment. They'll revisit livestock import restrictions on a month-by-month basis.
The CDC is asking that any animal and human infestations are reported immediately to local health departments.
For reference, the CDC has provided images of the infestations on its website. Warning: some images are graphic.
For Arizona, find that information here.
