As part of the joint strategy to control and advance towards the eradication of the cattle screwworm (GBG) in Chihuahua, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRICULTURA) has released —from July 27 to August 11— 14 million 970 thousand sterile flies in seven municipalities and has reinforced the training of producers, the attention to cases in the field and the safe movement of animals.
On July 13, the National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (Senasica) confirmed the first case of GBG in Hidalgo del Parral and, therefore, field actions, epidemiological surveillance, control and monitoring and dispersal of sterile flies were launched in the state.
The sterile fly release technical team, assisted by personnel from the state government and the productive sector, has installed 54 ground dispersal chambers in strategic locations in the municipalities of Coronado, Rosales, Valle de Allende, Cuauhtémoc, Aldama, Chínipas and Bachíniva.
In parallel, the Secretariat of Rural Development (SDR) of Chihuahua and local livestock unions deployed a team of between 10 and 15 people in each affected municipality, in order to support the federal health authority in addressing cases and visiting properties near the positive cases, in order to detect the presence of the plague in a timely manner.
Regarding the promotion of notification, prevention and treatment of wounds, the General Directorate of Animal Health of Senasica has given 18 informative talks, with a total of 575 participants.
So far, Senasica technical staff have visited a total of 93 contact points, such as veterinary clinics and livestock associations, to promote the timely notification of screwworm infestations in animals.
With the aim of strengthening the care of suspected GBG cases in the field, 10 veterinarians are currently deployed in the state of Chihuahua and coordination actions in the area of wildlife have been strengthened.
From July 27 to August 1, authorities from Senasica —led by the chief director, Javier Calderón Elizalde— were in the state to coordinate and strengthen operational strategies in the field through working meetings and visits to livestock production units located in the areas surrounding the positive cases.
Regarding the regulation of movement from affected to free zones, the General Directorate of Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Inspection of Senasica is working with the state government on a protocol to strengthen the verification of live animal shipments.
The measure is part of the comprehensive strategy to contain the spread of GBG without affecting livestock activity, and prioritizes animal health and the protection of the producers’ assets at all times.
