Experts found a bad fly in Texas. This is the first time since 1966. The government is now trying to stop the flies.

專家在德州發現了一種有害飛蟲。這是自 1966 年以來第一次。政府目前正試圖阻止這些飛蟲。

A baby cow in Texas had these flies. The flies eat the skin of animals. These flies came from Mexico and Central America.

德州有一頭小牛身上有這些飛蟲。這些飛蟲會啃食動物的皮膚。這些飛蟲來自墨西哥和中美洲。

Texas made a special zone. Animals cannot move in or out of this zone. The government uses special flies to stop the bad flies from having babies.

德州設立了一個特別區域。動物不能進出這個區域。政府使用特殊的飛蟲來阻止有害飛蟲繁殖。

The US needs more special flies. They are building a new factory in Texas. This factory will be ready in 2026 or 2027.

美國需要更多特殊飛蟲。他們正在德州興建一座新工廠。這座工廠將於 2026 年或 2027 年完工。

Some people say the flies came because of the weather. Other people say the flies came because people moved cows illegally.

有些人說飛蟲是因為天氣原因而來的。其他人則說是因為有人非法運送牛隻才導致飛蟲入侵。

The government wants to stop the flies now. They are building new factories to keep animals safe.

政府希望現在就阻止這些飛蟲。他們正在興建新工廠以確保動物安全。

Federal and state officials have confirmed the first case of New World screwworm in Texas since 1966. As a result, they have created quarantine zones and started using biological control methods to stop the parasite from spreading.

聯邦與州政府官員已確認德州自 1966 年以來首例新世界螺旋蠅個案。因此，他們設立了隔離區，並開始採用生物防治方法以阻止該寄生蟲傳播。

The parasite was found in a three-week-old calf in La Pryor, Zavala County, which is about 80 kilometers from the Mexican border. This follows a trend of the parasite moving north through Central America and Mexico since 2023. The screwworm is dangerous because its larvae eat the living tissue of warm-blooded animals. While infections in humans are rare in the U.S., the CDC reported over 2,000 cases and 10 deaths in Mexico and Central America since 2023.

在距離墨西哥邊境約 80 公里的扎瓦拉郡 La Pryor，一隻三週大的小牛身上發現了該寄生蟲。這是繼 2023 年起，該寄生蟲在中美洲與墨西哥向北移動的趨勢之後發生的。螺旋蠅非常危險，因為其幼蟲會取食暖血動物的活組織。雖然在美國極少見到人類感染，但 CDC 報告指出，自 2023 年起，墨西哥與中美洲已有超過 2,000 例個案及 10 例死亡。

To prevent the spread, the Texas State Veterinarian set up a 20-kilometer quarantine zone to limit the movement of animals. The main strategy is the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), where sterile male flies are released to stop wild females from reproducing. However, there is a shortage of sterile flies. The only active factory in Panama produces about 100 to 117 million flies per week, whereas past efforts required 500 million. Consequently, the USDA is repairing a facility in Mexico and building a $750 million plant in Texas, which should be finished by late 2026 or 2027.

為了防止傳播，德州州獸醫設立了 20 公里的隔離區以限制動物移動。主要策略是採用「不育昆蟲技術 (SIT)」，透過釋放不育的雄飛，阻止野生雌飛繁殖。然而，目前不育飛數量短缺。位於巴拿馬唯一的在運工廠每週僅生產約 1 億至 1.17 億隻飛，而過去的防治工作需要 5 億隻。因此，美國農業部 (USDA) 正在維修墨西哥的設施，並在德州興建一座 7.5 億美元的工廠，預計於 2026 年底或 2027 年完工。

Economic and political issues are also making the response difficult. The U.S. cattle industry is worth $113 billion but is currently facing small herd sizes and high prices. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins emphasized that illegal cattle movement and poor containment in Mexico caused the arrival of the parasite. Other experts asserted that climate change and warmer winters also played a role. Furthermore, some reports suggest that staffing and funding cuts at the USDA in early 2025 have weakened the ability to monitor and respond to such threats.

經濟與政治問題也使應對工作變得困難。美國牛業價值 1,130 億美元，但目前面臨牛群規模縮小與價格高漲的問題。農業部長 Brooke Rollins 強調，非法移動牛隻以及墨西哥防疫不力導致了寄生蟲的入侵。其他專家則認為氣候變遷與冬季回溫也扮演了重要角色。此外，有報告指出，美國農業部在 2025 年初削減人手與資金，削弱了監測與應對此類威脅的能力。

Currently, officials are focusing on containing this single case through quarantine and the SIT method, while the U.S. works to increase the production of sterile flies to prevent a larger outbreak.

目前官員專注於透過隔離與 SIT 方法來控制此單一病例，同時美國正努力增加不育飛的產量，以防止更大規模的爆發。

Federal and state authorities have confirmed the first instance of New World screwworm infestation in Texas since 1966, prompting the establishment of quarantine zones and the deployment of biological control strategies.

聯邦和州政府當局已確認德州出現自1966年以來首宗新世界螺旋蠅感染病例，隨即設立檢疫區並部署生物控制策略。

The infestation was identified in a three-week-old calf located in La Pryor, Zavala County, approximately 80 kilometers from the Mexican border. This detection follows a documented northward progression of the parasite through Central America and Mexico beginning in 2023, which breached the long-standing biological barrier in the Darién Gap. The parasite, Cochliomyia hominivorax, is characterized by larvae that consume living tissue in warm-blooded animals. While human infections are rare within the United States, the CDC has reported over 2,000 cases and 10 fatalities across Mexico and Central America since 2023.

此感染病例是在扎瓦拉郡 La Pryor 一隻三週大的小牛身上發現的，地點距離墨西哥邊境約 80 公里。此次發現源於該寄生蟲自 2023 年起紀錄到從中美洲和墨西哥向北推進，突破了達里安缺口（Darién Gap）長期存在的生物屏障。這種寄生蟲（Cochliomyia hominivorax）的特徵是幼蟲會食用溫血動物的活組織。雖然美國國內人類感染罕見，但 CDC 報告指出自 2023 年以來，墨西哥和中美洲已有超過 2,000 例病例及 10 人死亡。

To mitigate further spread, the Texas State Veterinarian implemented a 20-kilometer quarantine zone, restricting the movement of warm-blooded animals. The primary containment strategy involves the Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), wherein irradiated sterile male flies are released to disrupt the reproductive cycle of wild females. Current operations include the aerial and ground dispersal of millions of sterile flies; however, a significant capacity deficit exists. The sole remaining production facility in Panama produces approximately 100 to 117 million flies weekly, whereas historical eradication efforts required approximately 500 million. To address this, the USDA is renovating a facility in Metapa, Mexico, and constructing a $750 million production plant in Edinburg, Texas, the latter of which is projected for completion by late 2026 or November 2027.

為了減緩進一步擴散，德州州獸醫實施了 20 公里的檢疫區，限制溫血動物的移動。主要的圍堵策略涉及「昆蟲不育技術」（SIT），即釋放經過輻射處理的不育雄飛，以干擾野生雌飛的繁殖週期。目前的行動包括透過空中和地面散布數百萬隻不育飛；然而，生產能力存在嚴重缺口。巴拿馬唯一剩餘的生產設施每週僅能生產約 1 億至 1.17 億隻飛，而歷史上的根除工作約需要 5 億隻。為了解決此問題，美國農業部（USDA）正在墨西哥 Metapa 翻新一座設施，並在德州 Edinburg 興建一座價值 7.5 億美元的生產廠，後者預計於 2026 年底或 2027 年 11 月完工。

Institutional and economic pressures complicate the response. The U.S. cattle industry, valued at $113 billion, is currently experiencing record-low herd sizes and high beef prices. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins attributed the parasite's arrival to illegal cattle movement and insufficient Mexican containment efforts, while other experts cited climate change and the reduction of severe cold snaps as contributing factors. Furthermore, reports indicate that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) experienced significant staffing reductions in early 2025, and funding for international surveillance was curtailed, leading to concerns regarding the adequacy of current surveillance and response infrastructure.

體制與經濟壓力使應對工作複雜化。價值 1,130 億美元的美國牛業目前正經歷紀錄低位的牛群規模和高牛肉價格。農業部長 Brooke Rollins 將寄生蟲的到來歸因於非法牛隻移動及墨西哥圍堵措施不足，而其他專家則將氣候變遷和極寒天氣減少視為促成因素。此外，報告指出動植物健康檢查局（APHIS）在 2025 年初經歷了顯著的人員削減，且國際監測資金被縮減，導致外界對目前監測與應對基礎設施之充足性表示擔憂。

The current situation remains focused on the containment of a single confirmed case through SIT and quarantine, while the U.S. accelerates the development of sterile fly production capacity to prevent widespread establishment.

目前情況仍集中於透過 SIT 和檢疫來圍堵單一確診病例，同時美國正加速開發不育飛的生產能力，以防止大規模擴散。