Health officials in France reported the first human case of the Shamonda virus, which was previously known to affect only livestock. The virus caused fatal encephalitis in a person suffering from a compromised immune system. Meanwhile, an AI-designed virus infected a person for the first time, sparking worries about synthetic viruses. A bird flu outbreak at a Utah mink farm has sparked concerns about official response. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Ebola outbreak has reached 9,735 cases. A study linked the PP2 gene to plant defense against viroids and viruses.