Shamonda, a virus previously found only in animals, has infected a human for the first time, and the patient has died. French authorities announced the case on 22 October, and the World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, described it as the first documented human infection.
In a post on X, Tedros described Shamonda as 'a virus only previously detected in animals'. He said the patient 'was immunocompromised, which made them more vulnerable to infection and severe disease, and unfortunately died', and he offered his condolences to their loved ones.
