At a press conference at the Presidential House, authorities of the National Animal Health Service (SENASA) detailed that 203 cases have been treated in cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, goats and dogs.

They insisted that, upon observing a case, the wound should be immediately treated with larvicides and it must be reported to the entity.

In a decisive action to protect the health of our production animals, pets and wildlife, the decree declaring a state of sanitary emergency in the country to thwart, control and eradicate the spread of the screwworm disease was inked on Wednesday.

Screwworm is a disease caused by the larvae of a fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) that lays its eggs in any open wound of a warm-blooded animal, including people. Hours after the eggs are deposited, the worms hatch and feed on the living tissue.

omr/rgh/alb