Jakarta, May 11 -- Indonesia's Health Ministry said on Monday that a foreign national monitored after close contact with a hantavirus patient aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius had tested negative for the virus.

The test was conducted after Indonesia received notification from the International Health Regulation National Focal Point regarding the man's exposure to a passenger who later died from hantavirus infection.

The patient, identified only as KE, a 60-year-old foreign national, had close contact with a 69-year-old woman who died after contracting the virus, officials said.

"He was a close contact of the second case and was on the same flight from Saint Helena to Johannesburg," acting disease control director general Andi Saguni to...