Screwworm discovered in Florida's Florida Keys, sparking urgent livestock quarantine and a massive sterile fly drop to combat flesh-eating threat.

Screwworm discovered in Florida's Florida Keys, sparking urgent livestock quarantine and a massive sterile fly drop to combat flesh-eating threat.

1. The flesh-eating screwworm, a parasitic fly larva that burrows into living flesh, has been detected in the Florida Keys for the first time in over 30 years, prompting a Level 1 agricultural emergency.
2. The infestation was found in an injured Key deer, and officials have confirmed the pest can infect all warm-blooded animals—including humans—causing devastating tissue damage if untreated.
3. To stop the outbreak, authorities are launching a sterile insect technique (SIT) program, dropping millions of sterile male screwworm flies to disrupt breeding and break the life cycle.
4. A strict livestock quarantine is now in effect across parts of Monroe County, making it illegal to move farm animals, including horses and goats, out of the zone without a permit.
5. Travelers are warned that screwworm can hitchhike on pets and luggage; complete physical inspections of animals entering or leaving the Keys are now mandatory at checkpoints.