Belize containing screwworm outbreak with 63 cases and no human infections

Published by [email protected] at April 29, 2025

Posted: Tuesday, April 29, 2025. 7:06 am CST.

By Horace Palacio: Belize has recorded 63 cases of New World Screwworm (NWS) since the first case was detected in late December 2024, placing the country among the lowest in infection rates in the region. Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, Jose Abelardo Mai shared the update during a regional agriculture meeting in San Salvador.

Unlike other Central American countries, Belize has not yet employed sterile fly release techniques, which are often used to control the spread of the pest. Despite this, the country has managed to keep the situation under control with no reported human infections and no cases at all in the Corozal District. Only two cases were recorded in Orange Walk.

In stark contrast, Nicaragua has reported over 121,000 cases and nearly 100 human infections, underscoring Belize’s relative success in containing the outbreak.

Minister Mai credited the collaborative response involving BAHA, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Belize Livestock Producers Association (BLPA), local farmers, and international partners for keeping numbers low. Discussions are now underway to launch a regional eradication initiative aimed at long-term control of NWS throughout Central America.

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