Foreign National in Jakarta Cleared After MV Hondius Hantavirus Alert
Jakarta. Indonesia’s Health Ministry says a foreign national living in Jakarta who had close contact with a suspected hantavirus-infected passenger from the cruise ship MV Hondius has tested negative for the virus.
Acting Director General for Disease Prevention and Control Andi Saguni said the individual, a foreign citizen residing in Jakarta and employed by a foreign company, had been identified through an international health notification system.
On May 7 at 9:55 p.m. local time, the United Kingdom’s International Health Regulation National Focal Point (IHRNFP) informed Indonesian health authorities about a close contact living in Indonesia, Andi said in an online statement on Monday.
According to the ministry, the individual had close contact with a 69-year-old woman who later died and was considered the second confirmed case linked to the MV Hondius incident.
"The two individuals shared a flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg, South Africa, and also stayed at the same hotel," Andi said.
Following the notification, Indonesian authorities launched an immediate investigation and coordinated with multiple agencies on May 8.
On May 9, the close contact was transported to Sulianti Saroso Infectious Disease Hospital in Jakarta for comprehensive testing.
“We collected serum, urine, saliva, throat swab, and full blood specimens. The results from all five samples were negative for hantavirus,” Andi said.
The ministry said the individual is male, cooperative, in stable condition, and currently showing no symptoms.
The Health Ministry also reported that 23 hantavirus cases have been confirmed nationwide between 2024 and 2026. Three patients died during that period, resulting in a case fatality rate of approximately 13%.
Most cases detected in Indonesia involve the Seoul virus strain, a type of hantavirus commonly transmitted through exposure to urine, saliva, or droppings from infected rodents.
Health authorities said symptoms typically appear within one to two weeks after exposure and may include high fever, muscle pain, headaches, nausea, vomiting, and respiratory problems. Severe infections can develop into life-threatening complications.
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