First Screwworm Case in Dog Found in Tulum, Officials Probe

Tulum, Mexico — Jorge Aguilar Osorio, head of the Secretariat of Agricultural, Rural, and Fisheries Development (SEDARPE), announced the detection of the first case of screwworm in a dog in the municipality of Tulum. The discovery has raised concerns, as the previous 33 recorded cases had been confined to cattle in the municipalities of Bacalar and Othón P. Blanco.

Unusual Case Under Investigation

Aguilar Osorio stated, “We have 34 cases that remain concentrated in Bacalar and Othón P. Blanco, and one very unusual case involving a dog in Tulum. We don’t know how it arrived there, but the case has been identified and is under control. We are investigating this incident, as there have been no cases in Carrillo Puerto or José María Morelos. It’s strange that this canine was affected—perhaps it was transported from another municipality, but the reality is that pets can also be vulnerable.”

Concerns Among Livestock Producers

The official noted that meetings have been held with livestock producers in the southern part of the state, who expressed concern over the potential risk to thousands of cattle if containment measures are not reinforced. SEDARPE is coordinating with producers and the Animal Health Livestock Committee to mitigate the spread and minimize the impact on the state’s livestock sector. Federal authorities are also involved in these efforts.

Three-Point Action Plan

Following discussions with the Secretary of the South-Southeast region, Aguilar Osorio outlined a three-part strategy:

1. Uniform Livestock Entry Regulations: Ensuring coordinated entry protocols for cattle across seven states, including accurate tracking of affected animals.
2. Producer Engagement: Strengthening collaboration with livestock producers to implement preventive measures.
3. Education Campaigns: Informing producers about screwworm, as many were not involved in combating the parasite 30 years ago.

The official confirmed that affected cattle have recovered and resumed normal activities in the state’s fields.