Belize's Minister of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise, Jose Mai, is in San Salvador this week, chairing a regional meeting of Agriculture Ministers from Central America, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. The meeting, organized by CIRSA and OIRSA, is focused on tackling the spread of the New World Screwworm - a dangerous pest threatening livestock across the region.
Minister Mai, who currently serves as Chair of CIRSA, led Belize's presentation, reporting that since the first case was detected on December 26th, Belize has identified 63 screwworm cases to date. Notably, the north of the country remains largely unaffected, with no cases in Corozal and just two in Orange Walk.
Compared to its neighbors, Belize's situation is far better. Nicaragua, for example, has reported over 121,000 cases - including 94 human infections - while countries like Panama, Costa Rica, and Honduras are also grappling with widespread outbreaks.
Agriculture Ministers are also developing a regional plan and budget to eradicate the screwworm. That proposal will be submitted to U.S. and international agencies for possible funding support.
Minister Mai is accompanied by a Belize delegation including CEO Servulo Baeza, Senior Advisor Hugh O'Brien, and OIRSA Representative Fermin Blanco.
Email
Print