No Hantavirus Cases Reported in Riau

Riau Provincial Government confirms no hantavirus cases in the region. “As of now, there are no reports of hantavirus in Riau,” said Riau Health Department Head Zulkifli on Sunday, 24 May. He explained that the department is currently awaiting central government guidance for handling suspected cases. “This virus is infectious, so we must wait for a circular from the Ministry of Health regarding preventive, curative, and rehabilitative measures,” he said. He urged the public to maintain clean and healthy lifestyles as an initial step to prevent transmission. “Transmission occurs via rats. Therefore, we advise the public to adopt PHBS (clean and healthy lifestyle practices) as a preventive measure, including maintaining personal and environmental hygiene and avoiding direct contact with rats and their droppings,” he explained. Residents are also instructed to store food in sealed containers and seek medical attention if experiencing symptoms such as fever, body aches, cough, or breathlessness. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) confirmed no hanta pulmonary syndrome (HPS) cases in Indonesia, unlike the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship. Acting Director General of Disease Control Andi Saguni stated that confirmed cases in Indonesia are of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) with the Seoul virus strain. “We must clarify that no HPS cases have been detected in Indonesia. Detected cases are HFRS and are continuously monitored via the national surveillance system,” he said. According to Kemenkes data from 2024-2026, 256 suspected cases and 23 confirmed HFRS cases were recorded in regions including Jakarta, West Java, Yogyakarta, North Sulawesi, West Sumatra, and East Nusa Tenggara. Confirmed cases were highest in 2025 with 17, followed by one in 2024 and five up to May 2026. (RK/E-4)