Disease · Bird flu & animal disease · 7 November 2026
Shamonda virus found in Welsh and English cattle
Shamonda virus was detected in cattle at two dairy farms in October 2026, Animal and Plant Health Agency confirmed. The virus is primarily spread by biting midges and is not a notifiable disease. There is no evidence that it poses a food safety risk.
Animal and Plant Health Agency has confirmed the detection of Shamonda virus in cattle at two dairy farms. The cases were identified in October 2026 in Powys, Wales, and Shropshire, England. The agency notes that the virus is primarily spread by Culicoides biting midges.
Shamonda virus is not a notifiable or reportable disease, so no specific reporting requirements apply. Livestock keepers should monitor their animals for clinical signs and contact their private veterinarian if they have concerns. Vets should discuss diagnostic investigation with their local APHA Veterinary Investigation Centre or Surveillance Pathology Partner in England and Wales, or SRUC.
According to the agency, there is no evidence to suggest that additional disease-control measures are required. It also confirms there is no evidence of wider transmission among humans. The current risk to the general population is considered very low.
One human case has been identified in a severely immunosuppressed person in France. The Food Standards Agency confirmed there is no evidence that the virus poses a food safety risk. The announcement does not provide further details on the specific clinical signs observed in the affected cattle.
Written by StreetOwl from Animal and Plant Health Agency’s own announcement. It was drafted by StreetOwl’s own model, every figure and quotation was checked by code against the announcement, and it was read and approved by Michael Rossi before it went up. It says what was announced, not what anyone should do about it.
← Back to StreetOwl