DUNCAN — A flesh-eating parasite has turned up in two more Arizona animals, this time a horse and a ram in Greenlee County, according to the Arizona Department of Agriculture.
The department said the two domesticated animals were found near Duncan and had no known history of travel, ABC15 reported. A new infested zone has been set up in the county.
Arizona’s first New World screwworm case was confirmed in a dog in Cochise County. A local veterinarian examined the dog on Oct. 26, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed the case Oct. 28, according to FOX 10.
New World screwworm is a fly whose larvae feed on the living flesh of warm-blooded animals. The USDA says it affects livestock, pets and wildlife and, less often, people.
“We have been preparing for this possibility for a long while and are acting swiftly,” State Veterinarian Dr. Ryan Wolker said earlier, according to ABC15.
State officials are asking animal owners to check their animals every day for wounds, especially ones with larvae or a foul smell.
Anyone who sees a suspicious wound can email diseasereporting@azda.gov or call 602-542-4293 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Sources: ABC15, FOX 10. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
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