Banten Tightens Surveillance at Soekarno-Hatta to Prevent Hantavirus Entry

The Banten provincial government is increasing vigilance against the potential spread of hantavirus by tightening surveillance at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (Soetta). This measure is aimed at preventing the entry of hantavirus cases from abroad via the international arrivals route, which is one of the main gateways for passenger mobility. Head of the Banten Provincial Health Office, Ati Pramudji Hastuti, stated that surveillance is being intensified through cooperation with health quarantine authorities at the airport. “The enhanced surveillance is being carried out at the entry points of the Soekarno-Hatta Main Health Quarantine Centre (BBKK) and Banten Class I Health Quarantine Centre,” said Ati in Serang on Thursday (14/5), citing Antara. Not only at the airport, the Banten provincial government is also heightening alertness for suspected hantavirus cases at all healthcare facilities (fasyankes). Special attention is being given to sentinel hospitals for emerging infectious diseases in Banten, namely Tangerang Regency General Hospital. This hospital is prepared to monitor and handle potential cases that arise in the region. Although surveillance is being tightened, Ati has asked the public not to panic in facing this situation. She emphasised that the most effective prevention measures still start with maintaining environmental cleanliness. The public is urged to prevent rats from entering homes, maintain environmental sanitation, and store food in tightly sealed containers to avoid contamination. “We continue to educate the public to avoid direct contact with reservoirs, namely rats and their droppings, as well as potentially contaminated areas such as rubbish bins and drains. Seek immediate care at healthcare facilities if experiencing suspected symptoms,” she said. Ati explained that hantavirus is an infectious disease of the Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) type. However, the risk of transmission between humans is said to be very low. Common symptoms experienced by sufferers include fever, headache, muscle and calf pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and yellowing of the skin. The Banten provincial government also revealed that the region once recorded one positive hantavirus case in November 2023. However, the patient has been declared fully recovered. Ati assured that the case found last year was isolated and not related to the recent hantavirus outbreak reported on the MV Hondius cruise ship.