Cases of flesh-eating New World screwworm (NWS) infestations have surged by 53% in Mexico over the four weeks to mid-August, affecting animals and humans, including a reported death. This rise follows increased spread after the parasite was previously eradicated in Mexico and the US.

• Infestations primarily affect cattle but have been registered in dogs, horses, sheep, and humans across southern Mexican states like Campeche and Chiapas.
• The Mexican health ministry reported an 86-year-old woman died in Campeche state in July from skin cancer exacerbated by screwworm larvae.
• The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urges awareness of symptoms like unexplained skin lesions or movement within wounds for those who visited affected regions.