SACRAMENTO, Calif. - State health officials have issued a health advisory warning about a rare and previously eradicated parasite that can burrow itself into the flesh of humans and animals.

It’s called the New World Screwworm (NWS).

The parasitic fly was eradicated in the U.S. back in 1966. In 2017, the flies showed up in a small outbreak in the Florida Keys, but were quickly eliminated.

Now there are concerns about the species' return.

What we know:

The California Department of Public Health said there were increased detections of NWS in southern Mexico and Central America, where the parasite had also been previously eradicated.

Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services said federal officials recently identified a travel-associated human case of NWS in the U.S.

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