The first documented human infection with the Shamonda virus has been reported in France, raising questions about its possible spread and the risk to people in India. Health authorities say there is no identified risk to the general public at present, but investigations are continuing.
1. What happened in France?
French authorities confirmed that a patient treated for a serious illness in Lyon had tested positive for the virus. The patient had a severely weakened immune system and died in early October. However, authorities have not established that the virus caused the death.
2. What is the Shamonda virus?
Shamonda is a virus mainly found in animals, including cattle, sheep, goats and horses. It was first identified in Nigeria in the 1960s and has also been detected in parts of Africa and Japan. It was identified in European farm animals in 2026.
3. How does it spread?
The virus is believed to spread between animals through the bites of tiny insects called Culicoides biting midges. In the French case, an infected midge is the leading suspected source, but investigations are still under way.
4. Can it spread from person to person?
There is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission. Only one human case has been documented so far, so scientists still have limited information about how the infection affects people.
5. Should people in India be worried?
No human case in India was identified in the official sources reviewed for this report. This does not mean the situation should be ignored: health authorities will continue to monitor new evidence. There is no need for panic or to treat the case as an outbreak affecting the public.
Rumour vs fact: A human infection has been confirmed in France, but person-to-person spread has not been demonstrated.
Livestock owners should contact a veterinarian if their animals become unwell.
