Lyon:French health authorities have announced the first human case of the Shamonda virus, following the death of a patient in early October. The patient, who had "severe immunodeficiency," was undergoing treatment for a serious illness at the Hospices Civils de Lyon.

According to Anadolu Agency – English, the Shamonda virus was previously considered non-transmissible to humans. This case represents the first documented instance of the virus infecting a human. Despite circulating in Africa and Asia for several decades, no human cases had been reported until now.

The French Health Ministry stated that the patient died in early October and that investigations into the clinical, biological, and epidemiological aspects of the case are ongoing. The ministry emphasized that no health risk to the general population has been identified so far.

The Shamonda virus was first identified in Europe this summer, including in France, where it was found on cattle farms. Cattle are deemed the primary hosts among animal species susceptible to infection. The current hypothesis is that the patient contracted the virus through vector transmission, likely from the bite of a Culicoides midge in eastern France, a region where the virus was active among animals during the spring and summer of 2026.