1,000 New World Screwworm Cases Confirmed in 2025

Local media in Mexico have reported human cases of myiasis associated with the northern expansion of New World Screwworms (NWS).

As of early December 2025, reports of myiasis cases in Chiapas, Oaxaca, Yucatán, Campeche, and Tabasco, totaling around 92 human cases, including five related fatalities.

Throughout the Region of the America, 1,000 NWS cases in people have been confirmed in 2025.

According to the United States government, NWS has not crossed into the state of Texas and is not currently present in the USA. However, there has been one confirmed case of NWS in a person who returned to the USA after traveling to El Salvador.

The U.S. CDC says Infestations by NWS maggots can cause painful and foul-smelling wounds. If not caught early and treated, it can lead to extensive tissue damage and potentially death.

The CDC recommends that healthcare providers, if they suspect a patient has an NWS infestation, report it immediately to their local or state health department.