Fact Check: Hantavirus Not a Bioweapon for Depopulation

A recent social media post circulating on Facebook has attempted to link the hantavirus outbreak to the "Great Reset 2030 agenda," a conspiracy theory often associated with global population control. The post alleges that the emergence of hantavirus in unusual locations, such as luxury cruise ships and areas frequented by wealthy tourists, is not a natural occurrence but a deliberate act of bioterrorism. It claims the virus is being spread to instill widespread fear, enforce the use of digital passports, and disrupt local agriculture.

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Hantavirus has been around for decades and is not a newly engineered virus.

However, Tempo's investigation, which included interviews with epidemiologists and a review of credible media reports, found no scientific evidence to substantiate these claims. Hantavirus is not a newly engineered virus; it has been known for decades, with its origins tracing back to the Korean War era, according to epidemiologist Dicky Budiman. He clarified that hantavirus is a zoonotic disease, transmitted from animals to humans primarily through contact with infected rodents' bodily fluids.

Budiman further explained that the notion of hantavirus being a biological weapon is scientifically unsound. He pointed out that hantaviruses are inefficient for such purposes due to their limited human-to-human transmission, instability in the environment, difficulty in controlling mass spread, and complex production requirements. Virologist Arif Nur Muhammad Ansori added that the appearance of cases in specific areas is often due to ecological factors like climate change, deforestation, urbanization, and shifts in rodent populations, which increase human-animal contact. Both experts dismissed claims connecting hantavirus to digital passports, microchips, or tracking apps as baseless.

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Hantaviruses spread through aerosols from rodent urine or feces, not through the air in a stable manner, as is characteristic of strategic bioweapons.

This fact-check by Tempo aims to debunk misinformation that often spreads rapidly online, particularly concerning health crises. By consulting scientific experts and verifiable reports, Tempo strives to provide accurate information and counter baseless conspiracy theories that can cause unnecessary panic and distrust.

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Prevention is quite simple. It involves controlling rats, maintaining environmental cleanliness, providing good ventilation, and providing health education based on scientific evidence.