The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has modified a New World screwworm (NWS) infested zone in Texas, with concurrence from USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). This action comes after state and federal subject matter experts confirmed that portions of the area met requirements outlined in APHIS’ New World Screwworm Response Playbook for zone release.
While response and eradication efforts progressed within Infested Zone 06, additional NWS detections in neighboring areas of Schleicher and Sutton Counties necessitated the expansion of control measures through the establishment of additional infested zones and corresponding movement restrictions.
Based on the epidemiological assessment of Infested Zone 06 and surrounding areas, including fly trapping and monitoring data, evaluation of sterile fly dispersal, visual inspection of susceptible animals for myiasis, and the absence of NWS detections within the area during the surveillance period, TAHC Executive Director Lewis Dinges has found that sufficient evidence exists to demonstrate that certain areas of Infested Zone 06 satisfy the criteria for release from quarantine and movement restrictions.
At the same time, Dinges said the proximity of recent NWS detections in Schleicher and Sutton Counties warrants maintaining quarantine and movement restrictions within a portion of Infested Zone 06 to support ongoing NWS control and eradication efforts. Therefore, the portions of Kimble County previously included within Infested Zone 06 have been released from quarantine and movement restrictions.
TAHC further modified Infested Zone 06 to release portions of Schleicher and Sutton Counties and redesignatef the remaining affected portions of Schleicher and Sutton Counties as Infested Zone 06.A, as indicated here.
