The Utah Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday that an outbreak of New World Screwworm in Florida means all Utahns traveling to and from Florida with pets or livestock will be required to take extra precautions when returning to Utah. The state’s Veterinarian Office put the travel restrictions in place “to protect the health of the Utah livestock industry and to ensure the safety of animal movement.” Any animals originating from certain areas of Florida will no longer be permitted to enter the state except by permit from the State Veterinarian. Screwworm had been eradicated from the United States in the 1960’s. The screwworm is considered especially dangerous because it feeds on living tissue rather than dead tissues and can infect any warm-blooded animal including humans though human cases are rare.
