African snail plague spreads through Camagüey

The pest of the harmful African giant snail is spreading throughout the city of Camagüey, according to independent journalist José Luis Tan Estrada.

Tan Estrada spread images confirming the presence of the infestation introduced into the buildings next to Especialidades and the dumpster at the Polivalente.

In the comments on his post, several users confirmed the journalist's information and shared their own images.

"Well, here in Nuevitas there is a lot, especially around the bridge area where the buildings are behind the line; you can find them everywhere," explained a resident of that municipality.

Another internet user from that city explained that the snail has spread throughout the Alturas del Casino neighborhood. The houses adjacent to the Juan del Toro River are infested with snails, and more than 30 to 40 snails are collected daily. The plants no longer bear fruit; they now hang with snails. There’s no quicklime to kill them—these disgusting creatures are worthless and appear out of nowhere, harming the health of both plants and humans.

"The Polivalente area is not the issue; the entire river is filled with these harmful snails. The grass keeps growing more and more, and no leader is taking action. Delegate Georgina can't handle it alone; they used to keep the river clean and maintained, and now it’s horrible," reported another user.

In August, Tan Estrada reported the emergence of the giant African snail in the La Caridad neighborhood in Camagüey.

The African snail (Achatina fulica) is considered one of the most harmful exotic species in the world, as it can transmit dangerous parasites such as Angiostrongylus cantonensis, which is responsible for eosinophilic meningoencephalitis in humans.

Authorities and experts recommend not handling it with bare hands and avoiding contact with children.

The African snail has  been detected in other provinces of the country  and its spread poses a threat to agriculture as well, since it consumes a wide variety of crops, seriously affecting local production.

The health authorities in Camagüey have not yet released an official report on the case, although specialists remind us that prevention and proper management are key to avoiding a larger infestation.