Yahya Zaini, the Deputy Chairman of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives, urged the government to increase vigilance at all entry points into Indonesia to anticipate the potential spread of hantavirus.
Zaini assessed that the monitoring of both Indonesian citizens and foreign nationals needs to be tightened, given the dangerous and potentially fatal nature of the disease. Furthermore, he also highlighted the importance of preparedness at health facilities at both the central and regional levels to detect potential hantavirus cases. He requested that the Indonesian government prepare Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing facilities in hospitals as part of an early mitigation system against the spread of the virus.
“I ask the government to increase vigilance against the entry of hantavirus into Indonesia. This disease is very dangerous and can cause death,” he said on Friday, the 8th of May.
On top of that, Zaini believes that public education also needs to be strengthened to ensure the public understands the risks and symptoms of hantavirus, even though the virus’s spread is currently localised to certain clusters.
“Providing education and outreach to the public about hantavirus disease and its dangers to humans is crucial. Although the spread of hantavirus is still limited on cruise ships, taking preventative measures is a good step to protect the public,” he continued.
Hantavirus is a virus that can enter the human body through airborne particles containing rodent urine, faeces, or saliva, direct contact with open wounds, and contaminated surfaces. In official documents from the Indonesian Ministry of Health, hantavirus is referred to as an emerging zoonosis, a new disease with the potential to become a public health threat.
A comprehensive study conducted across several major Indonesian cities found that the seroprevalence of hantavirus in humans was approximately 11.6%. This means that, out of every 10 people, at least one has been exposed to the virus, although it may never have been diagnosed.
Furthermore, in rodent populations, the primary reservoir of the virus, infection rates can reach up to 34%. This indicates that the virus is actively circulating in the environment, particularly in areas with high rodent densities. Hantavirus recently drew global attention after reportedly killing three passengers aboard the MV Hondius in the Atlantic Ocean in early May.