CDC Activates Emergency Operation Center Over Screwworm Outbreak

Federal health and agriculture officials are moving quickly after the New World screwworm, a destructive parasite capable of devastating livestock, pets, and wildlife, was detected in animals across southern Texas and one county in New Mexico.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has activated a Level 3 emergency response, the lowest level in the agency’s emergency framework, to help coordinate with agricultural authorities and contain the threat before it spreads further.

Federal officials said the response is being carried out in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state agencies.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the move reflects the Trump administration’s whole-of-government approach to protecting America’s food supply and agricultural economy.

“The CDC is just one more step in the right direction that allows us to deploy more resources at the federal level,” Rollins told reporters in Texas.

The USDA is tracking confirmed animal infestations through a public dashboard as officials monitor the spread of the parasite.

The response comes as President Donald Trump’s administration continues its aggressive effort to defend America’s agricultural sector, which supports millions of jobs and remains the backbone of rural communities across the country.

New World screwworm is primarily a threat to livestock, pets, and wildlife. The parasite spreads when screwworm flies lay eggs in open wounds or body openings. The larvae then feed on living tissue, which can cause severe damage if not treated quickly.

Human infections are possible, but no human cases have been reported in the United States. Federal officials continue to describe the risk to the public as low.

Health officials also emphasized that New World screwworm is not contagious. It does not spread directly from animal to animal, from animals to humans, or from person to person.

Instead, infestations occur only when an animal or person is exposed to screwworm flies in affected areas, according to the CDC.

The Trump administration has been preparing for this threat for more than a year.

In 2025, the USDA launched an aggressive prevention strategy aimed at stopping the parasite from reestablishing itself in the United States.

The effort is being coordinated through an interagency working group led by the USDA, CDC, and Department of the Interior as part of a broader One Health initiative, which recognizes the connection between human, animal, and environmental health.

Officials noted that the United States successfully eradicated New World screwworm decades ago and expressed confidence that a coordinated surveillance and response effort can eliminate the parasite again.

The CDC is urging healthcare providers in affected areas to remain alert for possible human infections and to report suspected cases to state or local health authorities.

“New World screwworm (NWS) is a serious pest of livestock and wildlife,” the USDA noted on its website.

“USDA is leading a coordinated One Health response to combat NWS. This is not a food safety issue—the U.S. food supply remains safe,” the agency added.

“The current risk to animals and people in the United States is very low,” it said.

Rollins has been actively briefing stakeholders in Texas and holding press conferences to reassure ranchers and the public that the administration is treating the threat seriously.

For ranchers in South Texas, where cattle production is a major part of the regional economy, the federal response has brought cautious optimism.

“This could hit us hard if it spreads, but we’re seeing the feds moving fast,” one Texas cattle producer told local affiliates.

Economic analyses warn that an unchecked spread could cause major losses through reduced weight gain in livestock, treatment costs, and possible trade restrictions from international partners.

Canada has already imposed some barriers on Texas animals, underscoring the economic stakes of containing the parasite quickly.

The parasite’s larvae can inflict serious tissue damage when they infest wounds, making rapid veterinary response essential.

The Food and Drug Administration has also issued emergency use authorizations for treatments in companion animals, giving pet owners and veterinarians more tools to respond.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and state agriculture officials have partnered closely with federal counterparts, including through inspector training programs and alert systems organized with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

For conservatives, the response highlights what effective government action should look like: focused, coordinated, and aimed at protecting American families, ranchers, food security, and rural livelihoods.

This is not a case for panic.

It is a case for vigilance.

The Trump administration is treating the New World screwworm threat as a serious agricultural and economic risk before it becomes a national crisis.

That kind of early action could make the difference between containment and catastrophe for America’s livestock industry.