The Indonesian Ministry of Health has confirmed that two recent suspected Hantavirus cases in Jakarta and Yogyakarta have tested negative and the individuals have fully recovered. This positive update comes amidst heightened public attention to Hantavirus, following an outbreak detected on the MV Hondius cruise ship sailing from Argentina, which tragically resulted in at least three fatalities.
Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, assured the public of the government’s readiness to anticipate the spread of the Andes variant of Hantavirus. He noted that the virus remains primarily concentrated on the cruise ship. Minister Sadikin further elaborated on Indonesia’s robust screening guidelines for Hantavirus, which include both rapid tests, similar to those used for Covid-19, and reagents for PCR machine analysis.
Epidemiologist Masdalina Pane highlighted that Hantavirus is not a new disease in Indonesia. Over the past three years, the country has reported more than 250 suspected Hantavirus cases, though only 23 of these were ultimately confirmed positive.
Tracking MV Hondius Passengers
Countries worldwide are actively engaged in efforts to prevent a wider spread of Hantavirus after the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship. According to CNA, global health authorities are meticulously tracking passengers who disembarked from the vessel before the virus was detected, as well as anyone who had close contact with them afterward.
The ship operator confirmed that all passengers who disembarked in St Helena, located in the South Atlantic Ocean, where the ship made a stop on April 24, have been contacted. This group includes individuals from at least 12 different nationalities, notably seven British citizens and six from the United States.
In a recent development, Singaporean health authorities confirmed two of its citizens became suspected Hantavirus cases after being on board the MV Hondius since its departure from Ushuaia Port, Argentina, on April 1. Both individuals are currently in isolation at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) awaiting laboratory results to confirm infection status.
Previously, on Thursday (May 7), the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed five out of eight suspected Hantavirus cases. The outbreak tragically claimed three lives: a 69-year-old Dutch woman infected with the virus, her Dutch husband, and a German woman. The MV Hondius began its journey on April 1 from Ushuaia Port, Argentina, and was expected to arrive in the Canary Islands, Spain, by May 10. Approximately 150 passengers and crew members from 28 countries were initially on board the vessel.
Hantavirus Cases in Indonesia
Aji Muhawarman, Head of the Communication and Public Services Bureau at the Ministry of Health, stated that two suspected Hantavirus cases were identified in Jakarta and Yogyakarta. He confirmed via a short message to BBC News Indonesia on Friday (May 8) that both cases tested “negative and have fully recovered,” emphasizing that neither had a history of international travel.
Muhawarman further clarified Indonesia’s historical data, reporting 23 confirmed positive Hantavirus cases with three fatalities between 2024 and 2026. These dozens of cases were distributed across nine provinces: Yogyakarta, West Java, Jakarta, North Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, West Sumatra, Banten, East Java, and West Kalimantan. Specifically, Jakarta and Yogyakarta each recorded six positive cases, West Java five cases, while West Kalimantan, West Sumatra, Banten, North Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, and East Java each had one case.
How Dangerous is Hantavirus?
According to the official website of the World Health Organization (WHO), Hantavirus is a zoonotic virus that naturally infects rodents and can occasionally be transmitted to humans. However, epidemiologist Masdalina Pane notes that among the dozens to hundreds of Hantavirus types found in rodents, not all species pose a significant threat to humans.
Currently, the most virulent or dangerous Hantavirus strains are predominantly found in North, Central, and South America, including the recent cases identified in Argentina. One of the most virulent types is the Andes variant, which has a considerably high fatality rate, ranging from approximately 12% to 60%. This mortality rate can vary significantly based on the patient’s condition, the speed of treatment, and the severity of the infection.
“Younger individuals tend to be stronger (in resisting the infection’s progression), but for older people, if infected, the mortality rate is higher,” Masdalina Pane told BBC News Indonesia on Friday (May 8). She added, “The Andes variant is transmissible from human to human through direct contact,” noting that “other variants have not yet been found to transmit from human to human. They are still considered zoonotic diseases, or from animals to humans.”
Conversely, the Hantavirus types prevalent in Indonesia, as well as those commonly found in Asia and Europe, are generally not as fatal as their American counterparts, according to Masdalina Pane. Nevertheless, she warned that they can still lead to serious illness. Reflecting on Indonesia’s suspected cases, where 23 individuals were confirmed positive with three fatalities, the fatality rate for these Hantavirus types falls within the 10%-15% range. “The virulent types, which cause death, attack the heart, blood vessels, and lungs,” she explained. “Whereas in Asia, Europe, including Indonesia, they cause hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.”
Can the Andes Hantavirus Variant Enter Indonesia?
Masdalina Pane explained that the potential entry and transmission of the Andes Hantavirus variant in Indonesia depend on several factors. One crucial factor is the presence of the virus’s natural reservoir. She noted that each type of Hantavirus typically thrives only in specific rodent species. The rodent species, such as rats, found in Indonesia differ somewhat from those native to the Andes variant’s origins in North America and Argentina.
However, given the unique characteristic of the Andes variant—its ability to transmit from human to human—its spread does not always require a rodent intermediary. For this reason, Pane believes there remains a possibility for the virus to enter Indonesia through human mobility, which is inherently difficult to restrict. For example, if an infected or symptomatic individual carrying the Andes virus travels to Indonesia, the potential for transmission still exists.
Despite this, Pane clarified that the transmission of the Andes Hantavirus variant is not as easy as Covid-19. While Covid-19 can spread through airborne droplets, the Andes Hantavirus variant generally requires direct contact for transmission. This significantly limits and makes its spread more challenging. “Direct contact includes sexual relations, kissing, or transmission through breast milk to a child. These are direct contacts that must be of significant duration,” she elaborated. “So, it’s not that easy to transmit.” The incubation period for the Andes Hantavirus variant is also relatively long, ranging from 9 to 40 days, depending on an individual’s immune system. “But the average incubation period typically appears between 18 days and three weeks,” she added.
What Should the Public Be Aware Of?
To prevent the spread of Hantavirus, both the government and the public must collectively enhance their vigilance. For the community, the most critical step is to minimize contact with rodents, as these animals are the primary carriers of the virus. Therefore, Masdalina Pane advises keeping homes and surrounding environments clean to prevent them from becoming breeding grounds for rodents. She emphasized that “Hantavirus can be transmitted through rodent saliva, urine, or droppings that contaminate the environment.”
This underscores the importance of maintaining household cleanliness. Leftover food scraps should be promptly removed, and any areas potentially exposed to rodent urine or droppings must be thoroughly cleaned. Beyond rats, attention should also be given to other rodents, including pets like hamsters. “If you have pet rodents, their health must be maintained to ensure they do not become a source of disease transmission.”
Furthermore, the public should focus on maintaining a strong immune system to resist infections more effectively. Vulnerable groups, such as the elderly or individuals with specific health conditions, require increased attention. Pane also advised, “If you come into contact with someone who has recently returned from a Hantavirus-infected country, even if they show no symptoms, there is still a possibility they could be infected… Therefore, maintaining distance and limiting contact temporarily can serve as an additional preventive measure.”
What Should the Government Do?
Epidemiologist Masdalina Pane recommends that the government strengthen its surveillance system and monitoring efforts for Hantavirus. Should any individual exhibit symptoms indicative of a Hantavirus infection, immediate laboratory testing is essential to confirm whether the patient is infected. This examination becomes particularly crucial for individuals who have recently arrived from Hantavirus-affected or endemic regions, as they carry a higher risk of exposure.
What is the Government’s Preparedness?
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin confirmed that the Ministry of Health has already coordinated with the WHO upon learning of the Hantavirus spread on the cruise ship sailing in the Argentine region. Minister Sadikin stated that the Ministry of Health requested guidelines from the WHO for early detection and management, though he reiterated that the Hantavirus spread is currently concentrated on the cruise ship. “We have coordinated with the WHO. We requested guidance for screening, but the input we received indicates it is still concentrated on that ship; it hasn’t spread elsewhere,” the Minister said on Thursday (May 7).
The government, he added, has prepared screening tools to facilitate faster Hantavirus detection. Options under consideration include the use of rapid tests and PCR reagents, similar to those employed during the Covid-19 pandemic. “What we are doing is ensuring we have the screening capabilities, whether in the form of rapid tests like we had for Covid, or reagents used in PCR,” he stated. The Health Minister expressed optimism that Indonesia’s current laboratory capacity is significantly more prepared than before, thanks to the widespread infrastructure for PCR testing across various regions. “We now have many reagent machines, so detecting this virus should be easier,” he explained.
- WHO: Hantavirus outbreak on MV Hondius not the start of a pandemic
- What is the Andes strain of Hantavirus, which caused an outbreak on a cruise ship?
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- WHO: Hantavirus likely spread among passengers on cruise ship
- UN warns diseases transmitted from animals to humans will continue to increase
- Anthrax outbreak in Gunung Kidul, residents urged not to slaughter sick animals – ‘Anthrax bacteria can survive for decades in the soil’
Summary
The Indonesian Ministry of Health reported that two recent suspected Hantavirus cases in Jakarta and Yogyakarta tested negative and have fully recovered. This comes amidst an international Hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship, originating from Argentina, which resulted in three fatalities and prompted global tracking of passengers. Historically, Indonesia has recorded 23 confirmed Hantavirus cases and three deaths, although the more virulent Andes variant, capable of human-to-human transmission, primarily affects the Americas.
Hantavirus, a zoonotic disease, presents different severities; while the Andes variant is highly fatal and transmissible between humans via direct contact, strains in Indonesia and Asia are generally less virulent but still cause serious illness. Although the Andes variant could potentially enter Indonesia through human mobility, its transmission is not airborne and requires significant direct contact. Both the government, with its prepared screening tools and enhanced lab capacity, and the public, by maintaining hygiene and avoiding rodent contact, are urged to remain vigilant.