Soekarno-Hatta Airport Tightens Arrival Screening for Passengers from Four Countries to Anticipate Hantavirus

The Main Health Quarantine Centre (BBKK) at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, is tightening surveillance on arriving aircraft passengers from four countries to anticipate the emergence of Hantavirus transmission cases.

Head of BBKK at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Naning Nugrahini, explained that the special monitoring through the implementation of health standards for air passengers from those four countries includes travel from the United States, Argentina, Uruguay, and Panama.

“So we are tightening surveillance for countries where the Hanta virus has been found or identified,” she said in Tangerang on Tuesday, 12 May 2026.

She stated that the measure was taken in response to findings by the World Health Organisation (WHO) regarding transmission cases involving three cruise ship passengers who died from the virus.

“So there are four countries where we are applying extra tightening if there are direct flights to Soekarno-Hatta. But we do not rule out the possibility that if there are new ones, we will of course add or correct accordingly,” she said.

Furthermore, she mentioned that the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport authorities have reinstated health standards for air travellers entering Indonesia. This involves follow-up steps such as examinations by doctors and in-depth checks.

“We at Soekarno-Hatta have prepared readiness. The first is through filling out the health declaration in the Satu Sehat application. From there, we will know the risk from that flight, whether there are at-risk people or not. Second, upon landing, there is observation of signs and symptoms through thermal scanners and visual observation,” she explained.

According to Naning, Soekarno-Hatta Airport has a special evaluation lane for infectious diseases. If an infectious disease is identified, further handling will be carried out.

“Then we also have what is called a special infectious disease ambulance. Because the people we transport, whom we refer, are people with infectious diseases,” she said.

Her side urged air travellers to always be alert and maintain health protocols. This is because Hantavirus is transmitted through urine, saliva, and contamination from rodents.