First Human Case of Shamonda Virus Confirmed in France

French authorities have confirmed the first known human case of Shamonda virus, detected in a patient who died in early October.

• The health and agriculture ministries said the patient, treated at a Lyon hospital, had neurological complications "very likely linked" to the virus.
• Officials said it was an "exceptional case in a severely immunocompromised patient" and that there was currently no risk to the public.
• Authorities believe the patient contracted the virus from a midge bite in eastern France, where animal infections were first identified in the spring.
• The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said it is monitoring the situation, with animal cases detected in several European countries since late July.
• Authorities said the virus, transmitted by biting midges to cattle, had previously not been considered transmissible to humans.
• French authorities have launched medical, biological and epidemiological investigations into how the patient contracted the virus, the ministries said.
• WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the case and said the WHO is working with French authorities to investigate its source and transmission risks.
• The patient, a man in his 60s from the Lyon area, died while being treated at the hospital.
• Authorities said the patient's cause of death has not yet been confirmed and are investigating it.
• Officials said there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission of the virus so far.