It has been over two months since the first case of New World screwworm in America. The USDA’s latest figures show the United States has recorded 45 total New World screwworm cases since the outbreak began, with only five remaining active. The agency’s response has relied heavily on the sterile insect technique, dispersing more than 600 million sterile flies to interrupt the pest’s reproductive cycle. “They’re just exploding the number of screwworm cases that they’ve got,” Miller said. Federal and state officials say continued surveillance, sterile fly releases, and coordination with Mexico remain essential to preventing New World screwworm from becoming reestablished in the United States.