Shamonda virus in cattle has been detected at two dairy farms in Great Britain in October 2026 for the first time. One farm is in Powys, Wales, and the other is in Shropshire, England, after samples were collected and tested at APHA laboratories in Weybridge.
The finding adds Great Britain to the list of places where the virus has been identified in livestock during 2026, after earlier detections in Jersey and the Republic of Ireland. Officials say the current risk to the general population is very low, and The Food Standards Agency says there is currently no evidence that Shamonda virus poses a food safety risk.
APHA testing in Weybridge
The samples from both farms were sent to APHA laboratories in Weybridge, where the virus was identified in cattle. That makes this the first detection in Great Britain livestock, following reports elsewhere in Europe and before October in Jersey and the Republic of Ireland. The disease is thought to be primarily spread by Culicoides biting midges, which helps explain why animal surveillance rather than wider public restrictions is the main response.
Defra and Welsh Government advice
Defra, Welsh Government, Scottish Government and APHA will continue to monitor the epidemiological situation and review the response as further evidence becomes available. Shamonda virus is not a notifiable or reportable disease, so the response now centers on vigilance rather than compulsory reporting. Vets are being told to familiarise themselves with the clinical signs described for Shamonda virus in cattle, sheep and goats, while livestock keepers are advised to monitor their animals and contact their private veterinarian if they have concerns.
France and food safety
A single human case of Shamonda virus infection has been identified in a severely immunosuppressed person in France, but there is currently no evidence of wider transmission among humans. That leaves the practical message unchanged for farms and consumers in Great Britain: watch animals closely, act on signs quickly, and treat the new detections as an animal-health issue rather than a food-safety alarm.
