Less than a month after the first U.S. case of New World Screwworm was reported in a patient who had recently traveled out of the country, Mexico has now confirmed a case of the flesh-eating parasite in livestock living close to the U.S border, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said.

Mexico confirmed a case of New World screwworm in Sabinas Hidalgo, located in Nuevo León state, which is less than 70 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border. This finding - released late Sunday night - represents the northernmost detection of the parasitic pest during the current outbreak.

New World screwworm maggots are laid by parasitic flies. They infest livestock and other warm-blooded animals, including people, typically entering through open wounds and feeding on living flesh.

Mexico’s National Service

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