Spain on alert over shamonda virus after first human death in France
Spain's agriculture ministry says it is on alert for the shamonda virus in cattle after France confirmed the first known human death linked to the pathogen.
Spain's Agriculture Ministry said on Thursday that the country is "on alert" over the shamonda virus in cattle herds, but urged "calm" as authorities monitor the disease, after France reported the first known human death linked to the pathogen.
The ministry, led by Luis Planas, said it is in constant contact with France, Spain's regional governments and health authorities. France confirmed on Thursday that a person with severe immunosuppression who was infected with the virus had died, even though the disease had not been considered transmissible to humans, the ministry said. It described the case as the first known human infection with the pathogen worldwide.
Confirmed outbreaks in Spanish cattle have been recorded in the provinces of Córdoba, Toledo, Cantabria, Madrid, Ávila and Girona, the ministry said. Spain's central veterinary laboratory in Algete confirmed shamonda virus type 1 in herds in Córdoba, Toledo, Ávila and Madrid, with three dairy farms in Girona confirmed on 20 October. A second strain, shamonda type 2, has been confirmed in Cantabria.
Affected herds have shown fever, diarrhoea and reduced milk production, symptoms similar to those reported in other European countries, the ministry said. The virus does not kill cattle but affects milk output while animals show symptoms. It spreads mainly through the bite of midges and first appeared in Spanish livestock in September.
French authorities are carrying out clinical, biological and epidemiological investigations under a "One Health" approach that combines human, animal and environmental health expertise, the ministry said. France has said no health risk to the general population has been identified so far.
Beyond Spain, cases in livestock have also been detected in Austria, Germany, Belgium, Slovenia, France, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands, Portugal, the UK (Jersey) and Switzerland, according to the ministry's update.
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What we know
- Spain's Agriculture Ministry says the country is on alert for the shamonda virus in cattle but has urged calm.
- France confirmed the first known human death linked to the virus, in a person with severe immunosuppression.
- Confirmed Spanish outbreaks are in Córdoba, Toledo, Cantabria, Madrid, Ávila and Girona.
- The virus does not kill cattle but reduces milk production; it spreads mainly through midge bites.
- Cases in livestock have also been found in twelve other European countries, the ministry said.
Why it matters for Europe
The case matters because it is the first time a human has died with a confirmed shamonda infection, a disease that veterinary authorities had treated as a cattle-only problem spread by insect bites. Its spread to livestock in at least thirteen European countries, including Spain, means farmers across the continent are watching for the same symptoms, fever, diarrhoea and falling milk yields, that have already cut production on affected farms.
Sources
Reported by 3 reports from 3 independent outlets in 2 countries.
- EFE: Agricultura asegura que España está en «alerta» por el virus shamonda pero pide «calma»
- El Mundo: Agricultura asegura que España está en "alerta" por el virus shamonda pero pide "calma"
- ElDiario.es: El Ministerio de Agricultura asegura que España está en "alerta" por el virus shamonda pero pide "calma"
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- What is the shamonda virus?
- It is an emerging virus affecting cattle, spread mainly by biting midges, that causes fever, diarrhoea and reduced milk production but had not been considered transmissible to humans until France's confirmed case.
- Where has the virus been detected in Spain?
- Confirmed outbreaks are in the provinces of Córdoba, Toledo, Cantabria, Madrid, Ávila and Girona, Spain's Agriculture Ministry said.
- Is there a risk to people?
- France said it has identified no health risk to the general population, though it is investigating the death of a severely immunosuppressed person infected with the virus.
This article was written with AI assistance from 3 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.