Screwworm Eradication Effort Hinges on U.S. Support

Health officials have confirmed Belize’s second case of human screwworm infection this time involving an elderly resident of Camalote. The Ministry of Agriculture says the case was identified through lab testing, raising concern as human infections remain extremely rare in the country. Minister Jose Mai acknowledged the troubling shift, noting that no such cases had been reported in decades. He added that while Belize is prepared to respond, the launch of a full eradication program now hinges on international coordination, particularly with the U.S. government.

 

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“The second diagnosis was from a gentleman in Camalote from what I’ve been reported, its an elderly man I believe and they had the case from a wound under his feet, it has been identified in the lab and it is confirmed as screwworm Cochliomyia hominivorax. Unfortunately this is the second case in Belize. In my school years working with school at least thirty years ago we never reported a case in human being. It’s a different era now two days after we have a different case in Belize which is unfortunate and so this is where we are right now we hope that in the near future we start the eradication program but that is entirely in the hands of the American government.”