Mexico Reports 53 Percent Increase in Flesh-Eating Screwworm Cases Since July

Mexico has recorded 5,086 cases of flesh-eating screwworm in animals as of Aug. 17, a 53 percent jump from the number of cases reported in July.

Cattle are held in a corral before being exported to the United States through the Jeronimo-Santa Teresa border crossing, outside Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, on April 29, 2025. Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters

Mexico has recorded 5,086 cases of flesh-eating screwworm in animals as of Aug. 17, a 53 percent jump from the number of cases reported in July, according to Mexican government data seen by Reuters on Wednesday.

The updated numbers, which have not been previously reported to the public, showed 649 currently active cases.