Jakarta, May 13 -- Indonesia's Ministry of Health is paying special attention to passengers entering Indonesia from South America to anticipate hantavirus transmission detected in a cruise ship MV Hondius, which previously sailed from Argentina to Cape Verde.

"Special attention is being given to passengers from South American countries, including Argentina and others in the region. Indonesia has already recorded their travel histories and countries of origin. So, even if they traveled via Singapore or other countries, the All Indonesia system can still read the data," the ministry's Acting Director General of Disease Control, Andi Saguni, said here on Wednesday.

He noted the disease can cause hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemo...