US has reclosed its southern border after a flesh-eating parasite is seen further north in Mexico

By JOHN HANNA Associated Press The U S has closed its southern boundary again to livestock imports saying a flesh-eating parasite has moved further north in Mexico than previously released Mexico s president was critical Thursday suggesting that the U S is exaggerating the threat to its beef industry from the parasite the New World screwworm fly The female flies lay eggs in wounds on warm-blooded animals hatching larvae that are distinctive among flies for feeding on live flesh and fluids instead of dead material American personnel worry that if the fly reaches Texas its flesh-eating maggots could cause large economic losses something that happened decades ago The U S largely eradicated the pest in the s by breeding and releasing sterile male flies to breed with wild females and the fly had been contained in Panama for years until it was discovered in southern Mexico late last year An adult New World screwworm fly sits at rest in this undated photo Denise Bonilla U S Department of Agriculture via AP A New World screwworm larvae sits at rest in this undated photo USDA Agricultural Research Institution via AP In this Jan photo provided by The Panama-United States Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Cattle Screwworms COPEG a worker holds two small containers of New World Screwworm fly pupae at a facility that breeds sterile flies in Pacora Panama COPEG via AP Show Caption of An adult New World screwworm fly sits at rest in this undated photo Denise Bonilla U S Department of Agriculture via AP Expand The U S closed its southern limit in May to imports of live cattle horses and bison but informed June that it would allow three ports of entry to reopen this month and another two by Sept However since then an infestation from the fly has been shared miles northeast of Mexico City about miles further north than previously informed cases That was about miles from the Texas limit The United States has promised to be vigilant U S Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins commented in a message Wednesday announcing the limit closing Thanks to the aggressive monitoring by USDA staff in the U S and in Mexico we have been able to take quick and decisive action to respond to the spread of this deadly pest Related Articles DACA recipient among those at Alligator Alcatraz attorney says Ford recalls over cars in the US due to feasible fuel pump failure Freed from ICE detention Mahmoud Khalil files million claim against Trump administration Man accused of attempting to assassinate Trump wants to represent himself in Florida affair Judge will consider Abrego Garcia s request to try to avoid deportation before his trial In Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum revealed administration there were following all established protocols to deal with the northernmost episode Mexican agents explained the country has infected animals down nearly since June From our point of view they took a totally exaggerated decision to closing the edge again Sheinbaum stated Everything that scientifically should be done is being done Three weeks ago Rollins disclosed plans for combating the parasite that include spending nearly million on new sites for breeding and dispersing sterile male flies Once distributed in the wild those males would mate with females causing them to lay eggs that won t hatch so that the fly population would die out The USDA hopes a new fly factory will be operating in southern Mexico by July to supplement fly breeding at an existing complex in Panama The agency also plans to open a site in southern Texas for holding sterile flies imported from Panama so they can be disclosed along the frontier if necessary Also Thursday U S Reps Tony Gonzalez of Texas and Kat McCammack of Florida urged the Trump administration to briskly approve the use of existing anti-parasite treatments for New World screwworm fly infestations in livestock They announced labeling requirements as of now prevent it