By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. signed a “declaration of local state of disaster” Friday after a New World Screwworm case was confirmed in La Pryor, Texas, on Wednesday.
The New World Screwworm is a parasitic fly that lays its eggs in the open wounds or mucous membranes of warm-blooded animals. The eggs hatch into larvae – maggots – that burrow into the living flesh of the host animal. Left untreated, the resulting open wounds can result in secondary infections and eventual death.
The NWS was considered eradicated from North America in the early 2000s, following an aggressive operation by the governments of the U.S., Mexico and several other countries to disperse hundreds of millions of sterile screwworm flies across areas where the screwworm was found. As eradication efforts tapered off in the past two decades, screwworm infestations reappeared in southern Mexico in late 2024.
In January, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration related to the New World Screwworm. Abbott expanded that declaration
earlier today, making state resources more readily available to areas of the state where the screwworm is confirmed.
Owens spoke to The 830 Times Friday morning about what his priorities are following the signing of the Val Verde County disaster declaration.
Owens said, “Within the (disaster) declaration, we are asking for any help from the state or federal government for Val Verde County and our residents.
“You really can’t fix a problem unless you know there’s a problem and admit there’s a problem. Val Verde County, right now, we’re fixing to admit there’s an issue. So, other counties around us; Kinney County (Brackettville) will do their (disaster declaration) today, and there’s other counties close to us that are fixing to do theirs within the week. We recognize that there is a problem, and when it comes to our citizens, if they find a suspected case, they need to report it. Let’s report it, treat it.
“People are concerned that there will be a 20-kilometer (12.43 miles) quarantine zone around the confirmed case, but let’s not be scared of that, because you can still move animals in and out. They just need to be inspected and treated,” Owens said.
The county judge reiterated information given to the county’s livestock producers and ranch managers in a meeting here last week:
“The (infested) animal doesn’t have to be put down. You can treat the animal, and even at that, some of the stuff that I’ve been reading, you need a minimum, after the last treatment given that animal, 28 days, and then you can process that animal. You can move forward.”
Owens added, “One of the things we need to emphasize, this is not an epidemic or a pandemic when it comes to humans. We’re not trying to scare people. We’re just trying to get the facts out. Is this going to create an epidemic or a pandemic for humans? No.”
Owens said he believed there are two takeaways from the current situation.
He said, “If you suspect it, report it, and let’s get it treated. Hopefully, the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) and the Texas Animal Health Commission will put some medicines out there for our wildlife that we can’t bring in and treat, but maybe we can put medicine in feed to help prevent it.”
Finally, Owens said, “We need a better line of communication with USDA. Texas Animal Health Commission has given us several numbers to call, and if you call or text them, you’ll get an answer before the day’s out. We need that. We just need a better line of communication on what the plan is going to be.”
Information about the New World Screwworm has been posted on the county’s website and additional information is available on the website of the Texas Animal Health Commission at www.tahc.texas.gov.
The writer can be reached at delriomagnoliafan@gmail.com.
