France reports first Shamonda virus case in human who later died

The first human case of the Shamonda virus has been detected in France in a person who later died, according to authorities.

The person died in early October and had been receiving treatment for a serious illness that made them more susceptible to the infection, the ‌European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said.

The virus normally affects livestock and until now it had been considered non-transmissible to ​humans, according to the French government.

"Investigations into whether the virus caused or contributed to the patient's death and how the infection was acquired are ongoing," it said in a statement.

Authorities said there is currently no risk to the general population.

It is believed to be primarily spread by Culicoides biting midges and mainly affects cattle. Shamonda has also been found in horses, alpaca, sheep and goats, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said.

It is thought the person may have been infected in the east of the country, where it had circulating among animals during the ​spring and summer this year.

Shamonda ​is an insect-borne virus and the specific midge species involved in transmission in this case is still unknown, the ‌ECDC added.

The virus was first identified ‌in Nigeria in the mid-1960s and has been detected in animals in Africa and Japan intermittently.

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Shamonda was first confirmed in Europe in ⁠late July after genomic tests on unwell cattle in southern Germany, Switzerland and eastern France.

It can cause fever, diarrhoea, lethargy and reduced milk production in livestock.

The virus has been spreading among several European countries this ⁠year, including Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland, according to the ECDC.

The ‌centre said it is "carefully monitoring the situation".

Shamonda was also detected in cattle in Jersey in August, according to the Animal and Plant Health Agency, and showed clinical signs consistent with those seen elsewhere in Europe.

"This confirms the virus is present in the British Isles and in close proximity to Great Britain, highlighting the potential for further spread across north-west Europe", said the UK government.

(c) Sky News 2026: France reports first Shamonda virus case in human who later died