Playa del Carmen Aims to Keep Zero Screwworm Cases With Free Veterinary Care

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Livestock producers in Playa del Carmen can request free veterinary care if they detect suspicious wounds on their animals, as part of the municipality’s prevention efforts against screwworm, said Estefanía Hernández Flores, secretary of Economic Development and Investment Attraction.

In an interview, the official said the municipality currently has zero cases of the parasite. “Right now we have a program called Veterinario en tu Rancho. This program has allowed us to achieve zero screwworm cases,” she said.

Hernández Flores explained that the strategy aims to detect animal wounds early before they become a bigger problem, and urged producers not to wait until a lesion becomes severe. “It’s very important that even if it looks small, they call us so the veterinarian can go check it,” she noted.

The free service is available to producers with animals such as sheep, goats, and pigs. Inspections are carried out directly at production units at no cost. “We go, without any cost, examine the animal, and if it shows any sign of screwworm, we administer the medication to save it,” she added.

Screwworm is caused by larvae of the fly Cochliomyia hominivorax, which deposits eggs in wounds of warm-blooded animals. Once hatched, the larvae feed on living tissue, making early detection and treatment essential.

The vigilance comes amid the reemergence of the pest in Mexico and the measures taken to contain its spread. Among the sanitary strategies used is the release of sterile male flies, which aims to progressively reduce the species’ reproduction.

In Playa del Carmen, municipal efforts currently focus on surveillance, prevention, and animal inspections.