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Shamonda virus primarily affects livestock such as cattle.

First human case of Shamonda virus reported in France as patient dies

22 October 2026 Health

A patient in France has died after being infected with Shamonda virus, the first recorded human case of the disease.

The virus is mainly found in livestock, especially cattle, sheep, goats, horses and alpacas.

It is thought to be spread by the bites of midges – tiny biting flies – though the World Health Organization ( WHO ) has said further studies are needed to understand how it is transmitted.

There are currently no commercially available vaccines against Shamonda virus, according to the internationally recognised World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH).

Vulnerable patient

The unidentified patient, who died in early October, had been receiving treatment for a serious illness and was immunocompromised, making him more vulnerable to infection than the general public, according to a statement from the French…