UIN Jakarta Expert Explains Hantavirus Pandemic Potential, Different from COVID-19
Dr. Minsarnawati, an Epidemiology Specialist and Head of the Public Health Program at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, stressed that people don't need to panic about Hantavirus, though staying alert is still important. She explained that Hantavirus transmission is different from COVID-19 because it requires an intermediary like rodents such as rats and shrews, so its spread is more limited.
Transmission happens when someone is exposed to urine, saliva, droppings, or contaminated dust from rodents. Hantavirus is a zoonosis, meaning it doesn't spread directly between humans like the Corona virus. Indonesia has reported cases of the HFRS type that attacks the kidneys, not the HPS type with a high fatality rate like in the Americas.
Your immune system plays a big role; not everyone exposed will get sick. High-risk groups include sanitation workers, waste handlers, farmers, and animal lab workers. The main prevention is keeping the environment clean, storing food properly, and boosting your immune system through a healthy lifestyle.
People are urged to get checked immediately if they experience symptoms like high fever, headache, weakness, nausea, or diarrhea after contact with rats or contaminated areas. Vigilance is needed, but panic isn't the answer; personal and environmental hygiene are the main defense against infectious diseases.
https://mozaik.inilah.com/hala