First screwworm death in Mexico? Health Department clarifies information

The Ministry of Health (Ssa) reported the death of an elderly woman in Campeche, who was infected with the cattle screwworm.

However, the department headed by David Kershenobich Stalnikowitz clarified that the patient's death was due to oncological complications and not the presence of a screwworm in her body.

According to the information, the 86-year-old woman, a resident of Campeche, had a history of invasive squamous cell carcinoma, or skin cancer, for 10 years and also had systemic arterial hypertension.

He indicated that last May he had a Cochliomyia hominivorax (cattle screwworm) infection, which was treated promptly.

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For the screwworm infection, the elderly woman received treatment and once completed, she was referred for oncological evaluation and treatment.

It states that on July 21, 2025, a relative reported the patient's death due to complications from the cancer she was suffering from.

For its part, the Federal Ministry of Health confirmed the death of this person who suffered from skin cancer, and whose illness was complicated by myiasis from the cattle screwworm.

According to health authorities in the state of Campeche, two more cases of myiasis in humans caused by the cattle screwworm have been reported.

In addition, there are 277 cases of this pest in animals, mainly in the municipalities of Candelaria and Calakmul, which border Belize and Guatemala.

There are also cases in the municipalities of Carmen, Champotón, Palizada, Campeche, and Hopelchén.

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On Monday, July 28, the National Epidemiological Surveillance System (Sinave) reported 33 confirmed cases of screwworm myiasis (larvae infestation) in people: 31 in Chiapas and two in Campeche.

According to the Ministry of Health's Epidemiological Bulletin (Ssa), as of July 25, 24 patients were discharged due to improvement, five were receiving outpatient treatment, and three were hospitalized.

He also reported that an 86-year-old woman, a resident of Campeche, who had been discharged due to improvement but was in a delicate condition, died of squamous cell carcinoma.

Two new cases of screwworm myiasis were added to those reported by Sinave on July 18, when it announced that 31 cases had been confirmed.

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