Minister assures that Shamonda virus is not a cause for alarm

The Minister of Agriculture reassured that there is no cause for alarm regarding the Shamonda virus, which has infected cattle and was recently detected in a human in France. José Manuel Fernandes emphasized that the virus does not cause mortality in animals and poses no risk of contagion to humans. He noted that the situation does not warrant panic, as the impact on animal health is not severe. The minister called for rapid investigation at the EU level to develop effective and affordable vaccines. Concerns were raised about the high costs of testing for the virus in cattle, which could burden farmers. The DGAV confirmed Shamonda cases in several EU countries, including Portugal, and urged enhanced epidemiological surveillance.