Second Suspected Human Screwworm Case Reported in Cayo

Tonight, authorities are awaiting official confirmation of a second person being infected with the New World screw worm. The patient is said to be a 60-year-old man from Camalote Village in the Cayo District, who is infected on his lower leg. He is being treated at the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan. The Ministry of Health and Wellness says that its personnel were made aware of the situation late this evening and that the necessary tests are being done to confirm. This suspected case comes the day after the Ministry announced the first human infection, a 21-year-old farmer from Benque Viejo. Health authorities are working alongside the Ministry of Agriculture and the Belize Agriculture Health Authority (BAHA) as part of the national screwworm response. Chief of Operations for Vector Control, Kim Bautista, said that public awareness activities are being intensified as part of the response.

Bautista says that, even with the up-scaled awareness efforts, the ministry is bracing for more reported cases in humans.

Samples have been taken from the patient in the suspected cases and sent to BAHA’s Entomology laboratory, to determine if any larvae were found in the patient’s wounds.