USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed Arizona’s first New World screwworm (NWS) case on a dog reported October 28, 2026, as late-October detections continued in New Mexico and Texas cattle and companion animals. U.S. cases have reached about 71, with roughly 18 considered active, while cattle trade through Columbus, New Mexico reopened October 26 and Nogales, Arizona is slated for November 30 if conditions hold.
Officials continue to stress frequent observation of animals for draining wounds, maggots in wounds or body openings, foul-smelling injuries, and animals that appear irritable or in distress, and to report anything suspicious to animal health authorities. Sterile fly releases and surveillance remain the backbone of the federal response as ports reopen one at a time.
Why it matters for producers
As NWS expands along the southern border, daily wound checks on every animal—including remote pasture herds—remain the front line. Frequent observation and fast reporting matter more than ever when animals are spread out and hard to see every day.
