Baeza also discussed the current status of screw-worm infestation in Belize. He says that soon they will be moving into an eradication phase. He says it's part of a greater effort to prevent the screwworm from further spreading north to the US. He explained what our status is currently.
Servulo Baeza, CEO, Ministry of Agriculture
"So it is endemic now so right now we are in a management phase it is no longer an emergency basically because we have it all over and we are waiting for hopefully in the near future we start the eradication phase where we work along with OIRSA and USDA which were the ones who funded the eradication for screwworm back in the 80s and 90s. Screwworm was eradicated the last time in 1994 I believe that was when screwworm was eradicated from Belize so right now screwworm has reached to the middle of Mexico basically and that is where they are trying to control it from going more northward. Certainly the Americans are trying to make sure it does not reach their border so all efforts right now are trying to control it there Mexico so all efforts in terms of the release of sterile flies is being down in Mexico to try to control it there."
