Health authorities advise vigilance but emphasize there is no immediate threat of local transmission, and the risk to the public remains very low.

The risk of spread is heightened by the U.S. importing over a million cattle annually from Mexico, with concerns over illegal smuggling and biosecurity.

While humans face minimal risk, livestock such as cattle are more vulnerable, especially if they cannot remove flies from wounds or faces.

Industry insiders and state officials have been informed of the case through unofficial channels, with some frustration over the CDC's lack of transparency.

USDA has initiated targeted surveillance within a 20-mile radius of the affected area, covering parts of Maryland, Virginia, and D.C., and states the case does not threaten U.S. agriculture.

USDA is working with Mexican officials to prevent cross-border spread, with a team visiting Mexico in two weeks to verify compliance with protocols.

Current control measures include traps and border patrols, though critics argue response efforts have been delayed and are insufficient.

The USDA plans to invest up to $100 million in new technologies like traps, lures, and detection methods, including employing trained detection dogs.

A confirmed case of flesh-eating screwworm larvae has been reported in Maryland, involving a traveler who recently visited El Salvador, raising concerns about the parasite entering the US.

The US eradicated the screwworm in the 1960s and 1970s through a sterile insect technique, and is now building a new fly production facility in Texas to produce up to 300 million sterile flies weekly.

The CDC confirmed the diagnosis on August 4 but did not disclose details about the patient's condition, and the case was publicly announced on August 25.

U.S. officials and farmers remain optimistic that proactive measures, including building sterile fly facilities, will contain the pest and prevent its entry into the country.