First Human Case of Shamonda Virus Recorded in France

French authorities announced on Thursday the first human case of the Shamonda virus, which is transmitted by small, large flies and was previously limited to livestock. The patient, who had a severe immune deficiency, died in early October at a hospital in Lyon.

According to a joint statement by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture, this case is exceptional as the virus has been spreading in Africa and Asia for decades without any documented human infections. They suggest that the infection may have resulted from a bite from a Collicoid fly in eastern France.