Eradication Continues in Central America

The remaining five nations of Central America—El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama—followed Guatemala and Belize into the eradication program. By the summer of 1995, El Salvador was screwworm free. In Central America, fly release continued long after the last case of screwworm infestation and until adjoining countries were well on the way to eradication. As of February 2000, only Costa Rica and Panama remain to be completely freed of screwworms; both countries continue with ongoing release of sterile flies. Public education efforts were essential to these accomplishments.