France has recorded its first case of a person infected with the Shamonda virus — the patient died, although medical officials assure that there is no threat to the population. BBC reports this, UNN writes.
The patient died, but the authorities stress that this was an exceptional case and that, in general, the virus does not pose a threat to people
The Shamonda virus is usually transmitted among animals through the bites of small blood-sucking insects. It has been circulating in Africa and Asia for several decades, and was first detected in Europe this summer.
A joint statement by France's ministries of health and agriculture said that the deceased patient had serious problems with their immune system, making this case exceptional.
Background information
The Shamonda virus is an orthobunyavirus spread through the bites of small blood-sucking insects, mainly biting midges. The virus's main hosts are livestock, in which it causes fever.
The virus circulated in Africa and Asia for decades, and was first detected in animals in Europe in the summer of 2026. It does not pose a mass threat to humans. The case in France was the first recorded instance of a human infection, and the fatal outcome was caused by the patient having severe immunodeficiency.