Worm reports will appear in the next few days

Reports of cases of infectious worms in Panama will see an increase in the coming days, experts reported this Wednesday.

According to Enrique Samudi, director Copeg for Panama, This increase is due to the fact that every time they detect a new case, they conduct an epidemiological search in perifocal areas, which results in finding previously unreported cases.

Except, Samudio He emphasized that there is more rain in the current months, which favors the breeding of flies.

In the last epidemiological week, 397 batch cases were recorded, which is a total of 4343 since January. Last year, the total figure was 1,026, which shows that cases in the country have tripled.

Samudio reminded that it is important for producers to examine the animals, if wounds are discovered, treat them and take appropriate samples. He emphasized that although the disease spreads by itself, the transport of sick animals also contributes to worsening the problem.

For his part, the Minister of Agricultural Development, Augusto Valderrama, explained that the idea is to end all cases from Chiriquí and Bocas del Toro to the Canal area and then work on a cleanup strategy in the eastern part of the country.

“We have to eliminate as many flies as possible from Chiriquí to the Canal Zone and enter a total cleanup towards the area of ​​Panama East, Colón and Darién,” said Valderrama.

The head of Mida clarified that it is not about an increase in cases as such, but that the technicians will find them more easily by going in search and this will affect the statistics.

The senior official was optimistic that with Copeg’s experience it would be possible to control the problem caused by these flies in cattle.

For his part, Carlos Moreno, MIDA’s national animal health director, said the cases are concentrated in Darién, Panama East and Colón.

He added that there are currently fly releases in different parts of the country, for which air lines have been established.

“There are three weekly routes in which dispersal of sterile flies by air, specifically in the border area, we started to diverge a few weeks ago. This week, a third flight is starting in the border area, trying to find mitigation in Chiriquí,” Moreno said.

***With information from Víctor Arosemena.