Texas Issues Disaster Declaration as Flesh-Eating Parasite Spreads North from Mexico

Texas is bracing for the latest invasion of Mexican parasites.

On Thursday, Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration to kick the Texas New World Screwworm Response Team into action.

“Although the New World screwworm fly is not yet present in Texas or the U.S., its northward spread from Mexico toward the U.S. southern border poses a serious threat to Texas’ livestock industry and wildlife,” Abbott said in a news release.

“State law authorizes me to act to prevent a threat of infestation that could cause severe damage to Texas property, and I will not wait for such harm to reach our livestock and wildlife,” he said.

USDA updates their Screwworm page on Thursday afternoon. Yesterday’s update showed 5 new cases added in two