Health Ministry States Hantavirus in Indonesia Differs from That on MV Hondius Cruise Ship

JAKARTA - Acting Director General of Disease Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Health, Andi Saguni, revealed that the Hantavirus detected on the MV Hondius cruise ship is the Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) type. Andi explained that the Hantavirus in Indonesia is a different type, and to date, there has been no evidence of HPS transmission. “HPS is commonly found in South America and has never been reported in Indonesia, either in humans or rats. Cases of hantavirus in Indonesia are the Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) type, which has been identified since 1991 with the Seoul virus strain,” Andi stated during a press conference on Monday (11/5/2026). Meanwhile, in Indonesia, 23 cases of HFRS have been recorded from 2024 to 2026, with no findings of the HPS type. “The Hanta virus in Indonesia is the HFRS type, once again different from the type on the Hondius cruise ship,” he added. Unlike the HFRS type found in Asia and Indonesia, there is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission. “I would like to state that for the HFRS type occurring in Asia and Europe, including cases in Indonesia since 1991, there has been no evidence of human-to-human transmission,” he clarified. “There are illustrations of high-risk occupations involving contact with rats, such as garbage collectors, farmers, and areas prone to flooding, as well as activities in risky locations like basements with rats, old buildings, and so on,” he said.