Hantavirus: What we know about the serious viral disease that killed Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa

Hollywood veteran Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead, along with their pet dog, at their home in Santa Fe, New Mexico in February 2025, sparking intense speculation about their cause of deaths. Recently, authorities revealed Gene Hackman died of heart disease days after his wife died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS). But what exactly is this rare illness?

Here are ten points you need to know about Hantavirus:

-Betsy Arakawa died around a week before her husband from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome – an infection transmitted to humans from rodent faeces, urine and saliva.

-It is unknown how Arakawa contracted hantavirus. Usually, farmers and forestry workers are most at risk of exposure to infected rodents. Once the hantavirus enters the body, it replicates and spreads, which can cause a severe amount of damage in the lungs.


ALSO READ: Tongue out, chair in hand: Trudeau's bizarre exit from Parliament, netizens ask 'what's this circus?'

-The virus weakens blood vessels and causes leakage and fluid buildup in the air sacs, making breathing difficult. Once inside the body, the hantavirus replicates and spreads, causing significant damage to the lungs. It weakens blood vessels, leading to leakage and fluid accumulation in the air sacs, which makes breathing challenging.

-Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a rare but serious viral disease that can damage the heart, lungs and other organs, according to The Guardian. The syndrome progresses quickly and can be fatal, according to the Cleveland Clinic, one of the largest and most respected medical centers in the US.

-The report said Hantaviruses cause two syndromes, including HPS and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

ALSO READ: Elon Musk to lose 'world's richest man' title? Here's what is making a huge dent in his net worth

-HPS can be contracted by inhaling, eating, drinking or coming into contact with infected mouse or rat feces, urine or saliva. While not all mice and rats carry hantaviruses, certain species in North America, such as deer mice, white-footed mice, rice rats, and cotton rats, are known to be carriers.

-There are at least 38 recognized species of hantavirus worldwide, with 24 known to cause disease in humans. Although considered rare, the virus is likely underdiagnosed in many regions because its early symptoms can resemble those of common cold or flu-like infections.

-“Between one and eight weeks after that exposure, someone might begin to feel like they have a flu-like illness,” Dr Sonja Bartolome of the UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas told the Guardian. “It’s mostly in rural areas, because that’s where most of the rodents carrying the disease live,” Bartolome said.

ALSO READ: NASA layoffs begin: Space agency terminates chief scientist role, shuts down three offices in latest DOGE push

-HPS remains rare in the US despite its severe symptoms. Between 1993 and 2022, there were 864 reported US cases. New Mexico had the highest number during that time, at 122, followed by Colorado, at 119.

-The disease is caused by inhaling rodent faeces, urine or saliva – often from disturbing rodent nests and droppings while cleaning. More rarely, hantavirus is transmitted by bites and scratches from infected animals.