Yogyakarta Health Office Confirms No Hantavirus Cases Found Until May 2026
The Yogyakarta City Government has confirmed that no Hantavirus cases were found during the period from January to May 2026. Nevertheless, vigilance against the disease, which is transmitted via rodents, remains heightened as there is currently no specific treatment available for Hantavirus.
Lana Unwanah, Head of the Disease Prevention and Control and Health Data and Information Systems Division at the Yogyakarta City Health Office, explained that information previously circulating regarding Hantavirus cases in Yogyakarta actually referred to a suspected case in Kulon Progo, which subsequently tested negative in laboratory examinations.
“From the beginning of 2026 until May, there have been no findings of Hantavirus in Yogya. Meanwhile, during 2025, one Hantavirus case was found in Yogya and the patient was declared recovered,” Lana stated in her briefing on Sunday (31/5/2026).
Although current case numbers are zero, the Yogyakarta City Health Office continues to remind the public to remain alert, as Hantavirus is a zoonotic disease transmitted through infected rats. Transmission can occur through rat bites, contact with saliva, urine, or droppings, and even by inhaling dust contaminated with the virus.
According to Lana, the risk of transmission increases when individuals clean warehouses or dusty rooms that serve as rodent habitats without using personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves.
She explained that clinically, Hantavirus presents in two disease types: Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), which attacks the respiratory system, and Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS), which can cause kidney impairment. The HFRS type is more commonly found in Indonesia, with an incubation period of approximately one to two weeks.
“Initial symptoms include high fever, sometimes accompanied by conjunctival eye bleeding and facial redness. Other symptoms include headaches, loss of appetite, and pain in the eyeballs. In the subsequent phase, blood pressure drops, there may be a decrease in consciousness, swelling in the lungs and abdomen, and reduced urine output. Therefore, it is vital to monitor fever symptoms from the very first day,” she added.