Acting disease control chief Andi Saguni said cases on the MV Hondius were Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), unlike Indonesia’s Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS).
“HPS is common in South America and has never been reported in Indonesia,” he said on Monday.
He said Indonesia’s cases involve the Seoul virus strain of HFRS, identified since 1991.
Saguni said HPS on the cruise ship was caused by the Andes virus, which some studies suggest can spread between humans through close, prolonged contact.
He added there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission for the HFRS strain found in Asia, including Indonesia.
Transmission risk is linked to contact with rodents through bites, urine, feces or contaminated dust.
Related news: Ministry tightens screening in response to cruise ship's hantavirus
High-risk groups include garbage collectors, farmers, workers in old buildings, flood zones and people engaging in outdoor activities such as camping.
Globally, hantavirus cases occur across Europe, the Americas and Asia. Indonesia recorded 23 HFRS cases from 2024 to 2026, with no HPS cases.
He said studies detected hantavirus in rodents across 29 provinces, based on research by Rikhus Vektora.
British authorities reported a Severe Acute Respiratory Illness cluster on the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius on May 2, 2026.
As of May 10, eight cases were reported—six confirmed and two probable—with three deaths, a 37.5 percent fatality rate.
The ship carried 149 people from 23 countries, with no Indonesian nationals on board.
The ministry also received notice of a close contact in Central Jakarta linked to one deceased passenger.
PCR test results for the 60-year-old male foreign national were negative.
Saguni said the patient remains under close monitoring at Sulianti Saroso Infectious Diseases Hospital.
Related news: RI tests foreigner negative for hantavirus following cruise outbreak
Translator: Lintang Budiyanti P, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2026
