Staff from the National Program for the Control and Eradication of the Screwworm have inspected 293,111 animals across Guatemala in 2025. The program, overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) through its Vice Ministry of Agricultural Health and Regulations (VISAR), aims to control and eliminate this pest.
These inspections are part of a strategy to maintain strong sanitary barriers in border areas and regions considered high risk.
During epidemiological week 45, from November 2 to 7, operations intensified at five active checkpoints in Petén (Modesto Méndez and La Libertad) and Izabal (Entre Ríos and Cacao Frontera). A total of 9,506 animals were checked at these points: Modesto Méndez accounted for 46% of inspections, La Libertad for 34%, with the remaining 20% in Izabal.
The main goal is early detection and immediate treatment of infestations affecting livestock.
In addition to checkpoint inspections, twenty field technicians visited sixty-two production units across eleven departments: Baja Verapaz, El Progreso, Guatemala, Huehuetenango, Jutiapa, Quiché, Retalhuleu, Sacatepéquez, Santa Rosa, Sololá and Suchitepéquez.
Sixty-seven laboratory-confirmed positive samples were collected—seventeen from cattle, forty-two from dogs, one from a horse, five from sheep and two from pigs. So far this year there have been 2,988 confirmed cases of screwworm nationwide.
A total of 2,144 animals received treatment—2,077 at checkpoints and sixty-seven in the field—including wound cleaning for marking injuries or scrapes as well as manual fumigation procedures. Additionally,
446 transport vehicles were inspected—especially at La Libertad and Modesto Méndez—and authorities responded to sixty-two citizen reports about suspected cases.
On prevention efforts,
program staff delivered two hundred seventy-seven training sessions to five hundred seventy-six producers and citizens (two hundred women; three hundred seventy-six men), along with distributing informational materials in several departments.
“These actions demonstrate MAGA’s commitment to safeguarding national livestock,” stated program officials. They urged producers to report any suspected outbreaks immediately using either the official application https://www.maga.gob.gt/aplicacion-dsa/ or WhatsApp number 3570-7727 so that technical support can be provided without delay.
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