PDIP Legislator Urges Government to Implement One Health Approach to Guard Against Hantavirus

Member of the House of Representatives’ Commission IX, Edy Wuryanto, has urged the government and society to exercise early vigilance against the potential spread of hanta virus or hantavirus. This vigilance, he said, can be undertaken by the government through implementing the One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health. “We must not regard hantavirus as a distant threat irrelevant to Indonesia,” said Edy in a written statement on Sunday, 10 May 2026. He outlined several crucial steps that the government and society can take to guard against hantavirus. First, expanding surveillance for undiagnosed acute fever diseases to ensure hantavirus is not overlooked. Second, he continued, the government can enhance laboratory diagnostic capacity, including PCR and serology testing at referral hospitals. Third, efforts can be made by strengthening rodent control and community-based environmental sanitation. Regarding sanitation, Edy stated that managing cleanliness in settlements and controlling rat populations must be an important part of public health policy. “Preventing hantavirus cannot rely solely on hospital services. This concerns everyday living environments,” said this PDIP politician. Edy continued that public education must also be expanded so that society understands simple ways to prevent transmission. For example, using masks and gloves when cleaning areas suspected to be rat nests. “Society must pay attention to room ventilation cleanliness and prevent direct contact with rats,” he said. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization or WHO is monitoring cases of hantavirus strain Andes found on the MV Hondius cruise ship. In that case, three people were declared dead and several others became suspects. At that time, two Singaporean citizens on the ship were declared suspects. However, examination and quarantine results stated that both were negative for exposure. Nevertheless, Edy Wuryanto said vigilance must not be ignored. Because Indonesia has quite significant risk factors considering population density, urbanisation, environmental sanitation issues, and high rat populations in settlement areas. “This shows that hantavirus is not merely a theoretical threat; the disease is often undetected because its symptoms resemble dengue fever, typhoid, or leptospirosis,” he said.