France has reported the first known human case of the Shamonda virus, which was detected in a patient in Lyon who died in early October. Until now, the virus had been considered non-transferable and non-transmissible to humans, making this the first documented human case.
French health authorities stated that the infection appeared to be an exceptional case involving a patient who was severely immunocompromised. Public health officials stressed that there does not appear to be any health risk to the general population at this stage.
The Shamonda virus is most commonly found in cattle, though it has also been identified in horses, alpaca, sheep, and goats. The virus is transmitted by biting midges.