First recorded human case of Shamonda virus reported in France: Health officials

The first recorded case of Shamonda virus infecting humans took place in France on Thursday, health authorities said.

According to officials, the person had later succumbed to the infection and added that they saw no risk to the general population at this stage.

Shamonda virus is an insect-borne Orthobunyavirus primarily affecting livestock, especially cattle and transmitted by biting midges.


The microbe was first identified in Nigeria in the mid-60s and has since seen occasional cases in animals in Africa and Japan. It has been spreading among several European countries this year.

Until now the virus was considered to be non-transmissible to humans, the French government said.

According to Reuters, the leading hypothesis is that the patient may have been infected in eastern France, where the virus had been circulating among animals during spring and summer 2026.

(With inputs from Reuters)