Ottawa, ON (Rural Roots Canada) – The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is temporarily banning livestock from Texas after two confirmed cases of New World screwworm were found in two calves in the southern U.S. state.

The CFIA announced Friday that livestock, including horses, originating from or were present in Texas with 21 days before crossing the border will not be accepted into the country. It says the restrictions are necessary to help reduce the risk of the pest entering Canada and to protect animal health.

Several U.S. states have also taken precautionary measures to reduce the risk of the parasite from spreading.

It says it will continue to work closely with its U.S. counterparts to monitor the situation and adjust restrictions as needed.

New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose flesh-eating larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing severe and often fatal damage.

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In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for the two counties with confirmed screwworm infestations, authorizing the use of all available resources to deal with the situation.

“We have eradicated this pest before, and we will do it again,” said Abbott, in a release.

While the CFIA says Canada’s colder climate isn’t suitable for the fly to establish itself long-term, the parasite can survive for short periods of time during the summer months.

Animal owners and veterinarians are being urged to watch for signs of screwworm in livestock, including wounds that worsen over time and are accompanied by discharge or a foul smell.

Any Canadians travelling to Texas with companion animals are also being advised to inspect their pets for signs of infestations.

New World screwworm is classified as an immediately notifiable disease under Canada’s Health of Animals Act. It can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, some birds and, in rare cases, humans.

The parasite is endemic in parts of the Caribbean and South America. Mexico has also reported cases of New World screwworm.  Currently, Canada does not allow the importation of cattle, bison, sheep, goats, cervids and swine from Mexico, and stringent import conditions are in place for the import of horses from Mexico to prevent the introduction of animal disease into Canada.