What is Shamonda virus? How is it transmitted? ECDC monitoring situation as France reports first, rare human case

France has reported the first human case of Shamonda virus in a patient who was reported to be with severely compromised immunity levels. The patient has died earlier this month.

On Thursday, the health authorities in France shared that the Shamonda virus has been detected in a human for the first time. The rare case has been detected in a patient with severely compromised immunity levels, who died earlier in October, reported AFP.

France detects first human case of Shamonda virus

The health and agriculture ministries assured that "no health risk to the general public" has been identified in a joint statement. It added that the human infection seems to be "an exceptional case involving a severely immunocompromised patient" who was hospitalised for a serious medical condition.

"Despite circulating in Africa and Asia for several decades, the Shamonda virus has never previously been detected in humans," the ministries said, quoting the agency.

What is Shamonda virus

Shamonda virus typically affects livestock. It belongs to the Orthobunyavirus group.

How it Shamonda virus can be transmitted

Shamonda virus is typically transmitted to animals via small biting insects. It was first detected in Europe this summer, as per the authorities.

The patient reportedly contracted the virus through the bite of a midge in eastern France, where the virus was circulating in animals during the spring and summer, the ministries said.

"The neurological complications observed in the immunocompromised patient prior to his death are very likely linked to infection with the Shamonda virus," as per the authorities, based on preliminary findings.

But "clinical, biological and epidemiological investigations are still ongoing", they added

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Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.