Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, a disease carried by rodents, lead to a fatal infection that took the life of Betsy Arakawa several days before the death of her husband, Gene Hackman.
Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa’s cause of death revealed
The Oscar-winning actor was found dead alongside wife Betsy Arakawa and their dog in their home.
Betsy Arakawa, the wife of Gene Hackman, died from hantavirus infection about a week before her husband did, state and local officials said Friday.
The two-time Oscar winner likely died of heart disease and not from a hantavirus infection, Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief medical examiner at New Mexico’s Office of the Medical Investigator, said Friday during a press conference. Hackman also had advanced Alzheimer’s disease, she said.
“It is reasonable to conclude that Mr. Hackman probably died around February 18,” Jarrell said. “Based on the circumstances, it is reasonable to conclude that Miss Hackman (Arakawa) passed away first, with February 11 being the last time that she was known to be alive.”
An autopsy on Arakawa found laboratory evidence of hantavirus infection and findings, she said, “consistent with Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome,” or HPS, an often-fatal disease.
Hantaviruses are a family of viruses which can cause serious illnesses and death. Rodents pass the virus through their droppings, urine and saliva.
In the U.S., the disease is more prevalent in Southwest states such as New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and California, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What is hantavirus?
Hantavirus can be contracted by humans who come into contact with rodent waste or breathe in aerosolized rodent urine or feces, Erin Phipps, the New Mexico state public health veterinarian, said Friday.
Hantavirus infections are not spread from person to person and can result in a severe and potentially deadly disease affecting the lungs, according to the CDC.
What are the symptoms of hantavirus infection?
Symptoms from an infection usually begin 1 to 8 weeks after contact with an infected rodent, the CDC said. In New Mexico, hantavirus is primarily spread through deer mice, Phipps said.
As of the end of 2022, 864 cases of hantavirus disease were reported in the U.S. since surveillance began in 1993, the CDC said. New Mexico has recorded 1 to 7 hantavirus infections annually over the past five years and 136 infections over the past 50 years, according to Phipps.
In the early stage of infection, a person may have flu-like symptoms, fever, muscle aches, and “they don’t feel well,” Jarrell said.About half of all patients infected may also develop additional symptoms, the CDC says:
- headaches
- dizziness
- chills
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- abdominal pain
What is Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome?
Between four to 10 days after these initial symptoms, the signs of a potentially fatal disease, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), may begin, the CDC says. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, and tightness in the chest, as the lungs fill with fluid.
Developing fluid in and around their lungs, “at that point, a person can die very quickly, within 24 to 48 hours,” Jarrell said.
The mortality rate of the hantavirus strain in the Southwest U.S. is about 38-50%, she said.
When state health department staff assessed the Hackman home, they found a “well-maintained” house but did find “signs of rodent entry in other structures on the property,” Phipps said.
One dog was found dead at the residence and two others were roaming the property. The CDC says dogs and cats cannot become infected with hantavirus in the U.S. However, dogs could bring infected rodents to people or into homes
Officials are not certain of the time of death for Arakawa, whose legal name was Betsy Hackman, officials said. But her last known movements outside her home were on Feb. 11. On that day, she went to a CVS in Santa Fe.
Officials think Gene Hackman died on Feb. 18.
When asked whether it’s possible Arakawa collapsed and was alive for more than a day, Jarrell said, “It’s hard to say. I don’t think she was on the floor alive for a couple of days. … I don’t know when she began to feel ill. Those are things I don’t know that I’m ever going to have the answers to.”
How to avoid hantavirus infection
To reduce your risk of exposure to hantavirus, check your home for possible gaps and seals in your home or garage, the CDC says. If needed, place traps in and around your home to decrease rodent infestation. Do not leave food around that might attract rodents.
Avoid contact if you encounter any rodent droppings or other waste and wear an N95 mask and gloves when cleaning up, Phipps said. If possible, open windows or doors to increase ventilation 30 minutes before cleaning the area.
Spray the area with a 10% bleach solution or commercial disinfectant and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then, clean the area with paper towels and put them in a covered trash can that is emptied regularly, she said. Wash the gloves before you take them off and then wash your hands again after removing them.
“It’s important to never sweep up or vacuum mouse droppings since this can spread particles in the air,” Phipps said.
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