Rare hantavirus that killed Gene Hackman's wife surged in Arizona in 2024
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, which was identified in the Four Corners region amid a 1993 outbreak, increased in Arizona in 2024. The severe disease led to the death of Gene Hackman's wife.
Concerns about the rare hantavirus are circulating online following reports that Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, passed away from the virus just days before Hackman himself succumbed to heart disease.
This week, state and local officials released a probable cause of death for the couple, who were found dead last month in their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Hackman, who had advanced Alzheimer's disease, tested negative for hantavirus. He passed away a few days after his wife due to heart disease. Authorities noted that in his final days, Hackman may not have been aware of his wife’s passing or his surroundings.
Arakawa’s cause of death being linked to hantavirus came as a shock to many, given the virus’ rarity – only 864 cases were reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 1993 and 2022. Last year, The Arizona Republic reported two hantavirus-related deaths in Coconino County, Arizona. Here’s what to know.
What is hantavirus?
Hantavirus causes a potentially fatal illness known as Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, which can lead to fever, muscle aches, and difficulty breathing.
Last year, hantavirus was more prevalent than usual in Arizona. The state typically sees about three cases per year, but by July, at least seven confirmed cases had been reported. This included three fatalities, two of which occurred in Coconino County. Earlier this year, a case in New Mexico also resulted in death.
Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), the disease caused by hantavirus, is primarily spread by wild rodents, particularly deer mice. According to Coconino County health officials, the virus is not confined to a single location and can be found anywhere in the Southwest.
The virus is not spread from person to person. Hantavirus is usually spread from rodents through viral droplets agitated from stirring up material contaminated with rodent urine, saliva or feces.
HPS appeared in a person with a fever, headache, muscle aches and difficulty breathing, according to Coconino County health officials. Symptoms can worsen very quickly, with fluid buildup in the lungs posing possibly the most risk.
Why the sudden rise in hantavirus cases in and who's most at risk?
It's unclear why there has been a recent surge in hantavirus cases. Former Arizona Department of Health Services Director Cara Christ noted in a 2017 blog post that the spread of hantavirus is sporadic and typically confined to northern areas of Arizona.
The Arizona Republic reported that Native American communities are especially at risk.
HPS first emerged in 1993 when members of the Navajo Nation near the Four Corners region experienced symptoms such as fever, chills, and cough. The outbreak had a fatality rate of about 80%.
The outbreak on the Navajo Nation led to the discovery of what is now known as the Sin Nombre virus, the most common strain of hantavirus in the U.S., according to the CDC in a study on hantavirus.
The CDC discovered that the 1993 outbreak was partly caused by residents cleaning or moving into previously vacant structures and coming into contact with items or areas contaminated with the virus. That year, the region experienced a 10-fold increase in the deer mouse population, researchers found.
The best way to protect yourself from hantavirus is to avoid contact with rodents and keep your home rodent-free. Sealing any potential entry points, conducting regular pest inspections, and ensuring proper home ventilation can help reduce the risk of exposure. Individuals who are frequently exposed to animals are at higher risk.
Contributing: Rey Covarrubias Jr., Arizona Republic, and Mike Snider, Paste BN.