Shamonda virus detected in cattle across multiple Spanish provinces

The Shamonda virus has been confirmed in cattle farms across nine Spanish provinces, including Córdoba, Sevilla, Cádiz, Toledo, Ávila, Madrid, Girona, Cantabria, and Guipúzcoa. In Guipúzcoa, the detection marks the first case in the Basque Country. Authorities have reported that most confirmed cases are type 1, while Cantabria and Guipúzcoa have identified type 2.

The virus, which is transmitted by Culicoides insects, typically causes mild symptoms in adult cattle such as fever, diarrhea, and temporary decreases in milk production. However, special attention is being given to pregnant females due to potential reproductive impacts.

Health authorities in Spain and Portugal have issued messages of calm, stating that the risk to human health is very low. While a human case involving a severely immunosuppressed individual was recently reported in France, investigators have not yet established a definitive causal link between the virus and that death. The virus is not currently on the European Union's list of diseases requiring mandatory animal culling or general movement restrictions.