Parts of Bandera County have been placed under an immediate animal movement quarantine after the Texas Animal Health Commission confirmed a case of New World screwworm in neighboring Medina County, just one day before Bandera County commissioners are expected to consider declaring a local state of disaster in response to the growing threat.
The commission on Wednesday, June 24, designated portions of Bandera, Medina and Uvalde counties as Infested Zone 09, expanding Texas' efforts to contain the parasitic pest before it spreads farther into the Hill Country.
The quarantine follows the June 23 confirmation of New World screwworm in a cow in Medina County, according to the Texas Animal Health Commission. The newly designated quarantine zone includes portions of southern Bandera County, with its northern boundary generally following the Balcones Escarpment, which forms the southern edge of the Texas Hill Country.
The new quarantine comes as the Bandera County Commissioners Court is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Thursday to consider declaring a local state of disaster due to the screwworm threat. Commissioners are also expected to authorize County Judge Richard Evans to sign the declaration if it is approved.
Under the executive order, warm-blooded animals located within the quarantine zone may not be moved outside the area without prior authorization from the Texas Animal Health Commission. Before animals can leave the zone, they must be inspected, treated if necessary and issued a permit or certificate by a commission representative.
The restrictions also apply to hides, carcasses and animal parts capable of hosting the screwworm fly, which must be inspected and treated before being transported outside the quarantine area. Anyone who violates the order could face administrative penalties or criminal prosecution.
The quarantine took effect immediately Wednesday and will remain in place until lifted by the commission.
New World screwworm is the larval stage of a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing a painful condition known as myiasis. Left untreated, infestations can lead to severe wounds, secondary infections and death. The U.S. Department of Agriculture classifies New World screwworm as a foreign animal disease because of the threat it poses to livestock, wildlife, public health and the agricultural economy.
Gov. Greg Abbott has maintained a statewide disaster declaration related to the screwworm threat since Jan. 29 and renewed it after the parasite was detected in Texas earlier this month.
The Texas Animal Health Commission urges ranchers and livestock owners to regularly inspect animals for open wounds and signs of infestation. Suspected cases in livestock should be reported within 24 hours by calling the commission's emergency line at 1-800-550-8242. Suspected infestations in wildlife should be reported to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
An interactive map showing the boundaries of Infested Zone 09, along with the latest quarantine information and updates on New World screwworm, is available at tahc.texas.gov/emergency/nws.html.
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