Hantavirus disease has once again come under public attention after several cases were detected in Indonesia over the past two years. Indonesia’s Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) reported that dozens of people had been infected by the virus, which is transmitted through rats and other rodents. Concern over the virus intensified following reports of the death of a passenger aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius due to infection from the Andes Virus strain of hantavirus. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also warned of the potential for rising cases if strict public health control measures are not implemented.

The Andes Virus is commonly found in South America and is known as the primary cause of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), a severe lung disease with a high fatality rate. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, the Ministry of Health recorded 23 hantavirus cases between 2024 and the 16th week of 2026. Of those cases, 20 patients recovered while three people died.

Overall, 251 suspected hantavirus cases were identified during that period, with 225 testing negative and three unable to be examined. The highest number of confirmed cases occurred in 2025 with 17 cases, followed by five cases in 2026 up to week 16, and one case in 2024.

The hantavirus cases in Indonesia were distributed across several regions, including six cases each in Jakarta and Yogyakarta, five in West Java, and one case each in East Java, Banten, West Sumatra, East Nusa Tenggara, North Sulawesi, and West Kalimantan.

In its latest report, the Ministry of Health explained that hantavirus is caused by orthohantavirus, which consists of around 50 variants, 24 of which are capable of infecting humans. Some variants known to infect humans include Seoul Virus, Hantaan Virus, Andes Virus, as seen in the MV Hondius case, and Sin Nombre Virus.

Hantavirus infection in humans is divided into two clinical forms. The first is Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), which is characterized by symptoms such as fever, body aches, weakness, coughing, and shortness of breath. The incubation period ranges from 14 to 17 days, with a fatality rate of around 60%.

The second form is Haemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS), which presents symptoms including fever, headaches, body pain, fatigue, and yellowing of the body. This type has an incubation period of one to two weeks and a fatality rate of approximately 5–15%, making it less deadly than HPS.

In Indonesia, all 23 confirmed hantavirus cases were identified as the HFRS type caused by the Seoul Virus variant. The primary risk factors for transmission include direct contact with rats or shrews, as well as exposure to their excretions and secretions.