By: Arizona Department of Agriculture
PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Arizona Department of Agriculture (AZDA) is announcing one additional confirmed case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Arizona. The case was identified near Pearce (Cochise County) in an equine, approximately 5 miles from Arizona’s index case and closest active case. The affected horse is domesticated and has no known history of travel.
An expanded Infested Zone is established in Cochise County. Animal health officials establish mandatory 20 kilometer (12.4 miles) radius Infested Zones (IZ) around affected premises. No animals may leave Infested Zones until movement restrictions are lifted or under the direction of the State Veterinarian pursuant to the Continuity of Business and Pre-Movement Inspection process as outlined in the USDA New World Screwworm Response Playbook. Self-Inspection is suspended in the IZ while it is active.
This detection follows Arizona’s previous five confirmed cases between Graham, Greenlee and Cochise Counties. The Department is continuing to coordinate closely with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), neighboring states, and Mexican counterparts to support regional NWS response efforts. USDA continues to move forward with the release of sterile flies in surrounding areas as well as the construction of a dispersal facility in Douglas, Arizona.
Over the past year, AZDA has proactively communicated with livestock owners, pet owners, Tribal partners, industry stakeholders, and animal health professionals about NWS detections in Texas, New Mexico and Sonora to educate on the importance of vigilant wound inspection and prompt reporting. AZDA in collaboration with the University of Arizona’s Arizona Livestock Incident Response Team (ALIRT) has conducted over 60 table top exercises, industry workshops, train-the-trainer sessions, and other NWS educational events. These communication efforts have been accompanied by enhanced surveillance activities and rapid response planning designed to ensure that any suspected case in the state is identified, investigated, and addressed quickly.
We encourage livestock owners, livestock auctions, processing facilities, pet owners, animal shelters, hunters, and other stakeholders to be extremely vigilant and observant with animals in their care or custody. If any unusual wounds are noticed that appear to be infested with maggots consistent with NWS, please report those immediately to diseasereporting@azda.gov or by calling 602-542-4293 during business hours 8:00AM-5:00PM Monday through Friday.
Similarly, if hunters or other outdoor recreationists encounter wildlife that appear to be infested, please contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department at 623-236-7201. Please ensure that GPS coordinates of the approximate location of the wildlife are captured.
Current information regarding the NWS situation in Arizona, including new cases and detailed maps, can be found here. You can search your location on the map to see how far you are from the IZ.