This Thursday, October 22nd, was confirmed the first case of the virus Shamonda in humans, the person ended up losing his life. Know what this virus is about, which affects cattle through the bite of an insect, which causes infections.
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22/10/2026
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What is the Shamonda virus?
Second General Directorate for Veterinary Feeding, this virus “belongs to the genus Orthobunyavirus and the serogroup Simbu, transmitted mainly by dipteres (mosquitos) culicoides”, causing infections at a later stage.
Its transmission occurs mainly through the bite of dipters of the genus Culicoides. “These same vectors participate in the transmission of other viruses, such as those responsible for Bluetongue, Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease or African African African Equine Death,” he says.
In cattle, it gives rise to the same source, infections may be manifested by fever decreasing milk production and diarrhoea, and their incubation period is two to five days.
In humans, potential symptoms have not yet been revealed.
Having already been recorded in West Africa, Eastern and Southern Africa, the Shamonda virus was first detected this summer in Europe, more precisely, at the end of July, in Switzerland.
Since then, cases have been reported in Germany, France and subsequently in other European countries (Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Liechtenstein, Italy, Spain and recently in Portugal).
In Portugal cases were found in Beja, Bragança, Évora, Lisboa, Portalegre and Setúbal, as shown in the following table:
Distribution of cases to 13.10.2026
© Source: PISA. Net V
There is no vaccine or treatment available. The main control measure is the protection of animals against insect transmission vectors.