Veracruz
Mexican state on The Gulf of Mexico.
Veracruz, on Mexico's Gulf coast, had 116 human New World screwworm cases and one death in 2026 by 18 September, second only to Chiapas, health ministry figures showed.
Last refreshed: 4 October 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Timeline for Veracruz
Recorded one of four deaths
Pandemics and Biosecurity: Screwworm cases in Mexico rise fivefoldBackground
Veracruz is a Mexican state on The Gulf of Mexico. It lies on the PATH of the New World screwworm, a livestock parasite whose larvae feed on the living flesh of animals and people, as the fly has spread north from Central America since 2023.
By 18 September 2026 Veracruz had recorded 116 human cases, the second-highest state count after Chiapas, and one of Mexico's four screwworm deaths that year. Mexico's national total for 2026 reached 575 cases, against 117 in all of 2025. Oaxaca, Puebla and Yucatán followed Veracruz in the state ranking, with 68, 61 and 47 cases.
The state's count reflects an animal-health failure more than a medical one. Mexican officials treat human infestations as a by-product of the fly's spread in cattle, and any untreated wound, on an animal or a person, can host the larvae.
How many screwworm cases are there in Veracruz?
Where have people died of screwworm in Mexico?
