The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Friday (January 30th) that earlier this month, the Office of Health Security under DHS, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Department of the Interior (DOI), held a simulation exercise to defend against an invasion of the “New World Screwworm.” The purpose of the exercise was to strengthen national preparedness for emerging animal and public health threats and enhance interdepartmental coordination capabilities.
The announcement outlined that the simulation exercise was divided into two parts, with approximately 250 participants, including decision-makers from federal, state, local, and tribal governments (80 on-site and over 170 participating online).
The New World Screwworm is a parasitic insect that infests warm-blooded animals, including humans, by burrowing into living tissue to lay eggs, causing severe tissue damage in various animals such as livestock, birds, and humans, potentially posing significant economic impacts on the livestock industry.
The exercise primarily simulated three potential invasion pathways:
1. Illegal smuggling of livestock;
2. Transmission through wildlife;
3. Transmission by infected individuals with wounds.
Quoting Secretary Kristi Noem, the announcement stressed, “A nation that cannot feed itself, cannot defend itself. Food security is national security, and we must safeguard America’s food supply to protect our homeland security.”
Dr. Sean Conley, acting Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Director of the Office of Health Security at DHS, remarked, “This exercise, a first of its kind, provided participants with a common operational baseline and an opportunity to test coordination capabilities to ensure effective government response.”
Michael Schmoyer, Deputy Administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service at the Department of Agriculture, highlighted the importance of unified response measures at the federal, state, and local levels in enhancing preventive efforts, stating, “Coordination among government levels is critical to strengthening our preparedness, and this exercise allowed us to identify shortcomings and enhance collaboration.”
Dr. Jenifer Chatfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife, and Parks at the Department of the Interior, pledged continuous commitment to protecting and managing America’s precious national resources. She reiterated the department’s collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and DHS in disaster preparedness efforts, emphasizing the threat posed by the invasion of the New World Screwworm to native species and livestock. Dr. Chatfield welcomed the opportunity to work alongside partners from the USDA and DHS in disaster preparedness efforts.