Shamonda virus in humans for the first time in history. French authorities reassure.

French health authorities reported the first human case of the Shamonda virus, typically affecting livestock, resulting in the patient's death. They stated there is currently no threat to public health. The infected individual likely contracted the virus in eastern France, where it circulated in spring and summer 2026. Shamonda, an orthobunyavirus, primarily targets livestock and is transmitted by insects. Previously identified in Nigeria in the 1960s, it has sporadically appeared in animals across Africa and Japan. This case marks a significant development, as it was believed the virus did not infect humans.