Endang Mulyani, Jakarta – Authorities in Jakarta are stepping up vigilance against hantavirus after six suspected cases were identified, along with three confirmed infections, according to the city's health agency.
Jakarta Health Agency head Ani Ruspitawati said the capital had recorded six suspected hantavirus cases currently under monitoring.
"For the latest hantavirus update in Jakarta, we have so far identified three confirmed cases, while six suspected cases are still under monitoring," Ani said after inaugurating the Meruya Community Health Center in West Jakarta on Monday.
Previously, officials reported that four people had contracted hantavirus and later recovered, while one patient remained under treatment.
Following a vigilance notice issued by the Indonesian Health Ministry, Ani said the Jakarta administration had distributed circulars on hantavirus awareness to healthcare facilities across the capital.
"We have also appointed several regional public hospitals as sentinel hospitals to conduct stricter monitoring and detect potential hantavirus cases in the community," she said.
The Jakarta Health Agency has also deployed rapid response teams to strengthen its early warning system in anticipation of any significant increase in infections.
Ani urged residents to maintain good hygiene practices, including washing hands with soap and running water, as a key preventive measure against hantavirus, which is primarily transmitted by rodents.
She explained that transmission commonly occurs through inhalation of aerosol particles from rat droppings, saliva, or urine. When these substances dry and mix with dust in the air, they can be inhaled. Direct contact with contaminated rodent secretions or rat bites can also spread the virus.
Ani advised residents to ensure proper ventilation when cleaning rodent-infested areas and warned against sweeping dry rat droppings directly.
Separately, Indonesian health authorities have tightened hantavirus screening measures at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport to prevent the possible entry of infected travelers through international flights.
The enhanced screening measures include mandatory health declarations, thermal scanner checks, and visual observation of arriving passengers.
According to the Health Quarantine Center, hantavirus is not a new disease in Indonesia. Research on the virus has been conducted since 2015, while authorities recorded three fatalities from 23 hantavirus cases nationwide between 2024 and 2026.
Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/jakarta-on-alert-after-six-suspected-hantavirus-cases-detecte