Confirm first human case of screwworm infection in Chiapas

The Ministry of Health confirmed the first human case of screwworm myiasis in Mexico; the affected individual is a 77-year-old woman from the municipality of Acacoyagua, Chiapas, who was urgently transferred to the High Specialty Hospital Ciudad Salud in Tapachula.

The patient received immediate medical attention after the presence of screwworm larvae was detected in her body, which prompted a strong reaction from health authorities.

This case, unprecedented in Mexico, is already being investigated to determine its origin and prevent new infections. Her condition is stable, but the outbreak has already raised alarms throughout southeastern Mexico.

Since 2024, the screwworm had reemerged in the livestock sector, invading living tissues and causing concern among producers, veterinarians, and technicians. Its spread was already visible in states like Oaxaca, Tabasco, and Chiapas, where multiple alerts were issued. However, the government's response was limited to meetings and statements, without taking concrete actions to contain the plague's advance.

An ignored plague now puts human lives at risk

This case marks the leap that authorities ignored: from a livestock problem to a direct threat to public health. Human myiasis, although rare, can be dangerous if not treated, and after more than a year of neglect, it is already affecting people.

The patient is being treated with antibiotics, surgical cleaning, and medical observation.
But instead of activating a strong health barrier, authorities have just begun "epidemiological surveillance" tasks in the area.

The health policy of the 4T: putting out fires with statements

While the government talked about  "transformation" and "universal health," the Mexican countryside was sinking into neglect. The screwworm had already caused the temporary closure of livestock exports to the United States, but even that wasn't enough for serious measures to be taken.

Now that the larva is affecting humans, the government's negligence takes its toll. There are no preventive campaigns, no coordination with the states, nor a clear federal plan. The health system, simply, was overwhelmed by its own neglect.

From the forgotten south to the exposed country

The poorest region of the country once again bears the consequences of neglect, while the rest look on with indifference... for now. Myiasis knows no borders, and if immediate action isn't taken, it will end up affecting more people and hitting other regions and economies.

Sheinbaum claims to be scientific and modern, but her government falls into the same old mistakes: waiting for a victim to react. And when they finally act, everything is done hastily, without plan or foresight.

In the Mexico of the 4T, not even plagues respect the State... nor does the State fulfill its duty to protect. And what continues to rot, like the tissue devoured by the worm, is the government's ability to react in time.