Surveillance at Soekarno-Hatta Airport Entry Points Tightened to Anticipate Hantavirus
The Head of the Banten Provincial Health Office, Ati Pramudji Hastuti, stated that her office is implementing several handling measures, such as tightening surveillance at entry points from abroad, including Soekarno-Hatta Airport.
“Increased surveillance at entry points, Soekarno-Hatta Quarantine and Health Post, and Banten Class 1 Port Health Posts. Increased alertness for hantavirus suspects in all healthcare facilities,” said Ati on Tuesday (12/5/2026).
In addition, the Health Office will strengthen services at Tangerang Regency General Hospital as a sentinel hospital for emerging infectious diseases. Her office will also conduct epidemiological investigations and control risk factors when cases are found.
Ati stated that the Health Office will also educate residents not to panic about hantavirus. She urged the public to maintain cleanliness in homes and living areas.
“Providing education to the public so they do not panic and can actively participate in preventing hantavirus, such as avoiding direct contact with reservoirs, namely rats, including their droppings, as well as environments potentially contaminated such as rubbish areas, drains, etc.,” she said.
“Preventing rats from entering homes, maintaining cleanliness in living and working areas, storing food safely in closed containers, and immediately seeking healthcare if experiencing suspected hantavirus symptoms,” she added.
Discovery of 1 Case
Ati mentioned that the hantavirus case in Banten Province was found in one person in November 2025. The patient has now recovered.
“The first hantavirus case was discovered in Banten Province in November 2025, affecting one person. The current condition is recovered,” she said.
The symptoms experienced were fever, headache, muscle pain, calf pain, weakness, nausea, vomiting, and yellowing of the skin.
Ati explained that this case occurred due to direct contact with the main reservoir, namely rats. Hantavirus has a very low risk of transmission between humans.
“This case is of the HFRS (haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome) type, with a very low risk of human-to-human transmission, and the patient has been treated according to procedures until recovery. The results of the epidemiological investigation have also not found any close contacts who are infected to date,” she said.