The Mediterranean fruit fly outbreak in Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico, Has Been Officially Declared Eradicated

An outbreak of the Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata, Wied.) was declared eradicated on 24 April 2020 after one year of intensive actions carried out under the framework of an emergency response protocol. With this result the spread of the pest to other nearby states and to the interior of the country was prevented and the high valued horticultural industry in Mexico protected. The outbreak required the hard work of over 200 technicians and the effective application of an integrated pest management approach which include the sterile insect technique (SIT). Congratulations to these other heroes, that like the medical doctors and nurses fighting the coronavirus, they bravely fought this other type of biological war.(article available only in Spanish)