Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa likely caught hantavirus – the vile disease which killed her – as she was reportedly exposed to rat droppings in the couple’s garage and outhouses.
Betsy, 65, could have caught the disease – described as a fever-like illness – from cleaning those areas in the couple’s property in Santa Fe, New Mexico, it is said tonight.
Gene and Betsy’s dog was also found dead in the house. Authorities note that while there is evidence that dogs can catch the virus, the animals do not show symptoms and there are no recorded cases of them passing the virus on to humans.
But an expert said simply inhaling dust that has been in the same environment as rodents can cause the contraction of the lung infection. Dr David Quammen, an infectious disease expert in Montana not involved in the case, added: “In terms of hantavirus getting communicated to humans, that would generally happen through mouse urine embedded in dust in a dusty building, so in a shed or a garage, where the mice were running around. Then, if someone came in and swept up that dust, inhaling that dust would be enough to give them hantavirus. “
Gene, 95, was negative for the virus and died from natural causes, including Alzheimer’s disease, it has emerged. The two-time Oscar winner had lived in the hillside property with his wife, a classical pianist, for several years.
And police say it did not appear Betsy struggled with mobility in her final months. She has been regularly pictured on CCTV – even in the days leading up to her death – walking around the residency and leaving to go on shopping trips.
Tests show, though, the deadly fluid – caused by hantavirus – had built up in her lungs, and the rare disease killed the musician. It is transmitted through the inhaling virus particles from rodent saliva, urine, or feces. It may also spread through rodent bites. In the US, deer mice are the most common carriers.
Symptoms typically show up within one to eight weeks of exposure to infected rodents. Signs include fatigue, fever, muscle aches, headache, dizziness, chills, and abdominal or digestive issues. After four to 10 days of the early symptoms, patients may experience shortness of breath, chest tightness, and fluid in the lungs.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told Mail Online there have been 129 cases of hantavirus confirmed in New Mexico since 1993, including seven in 2023, the most recent year data is available.
The agency “is in contact with health officials in New Mexico who determined a woman has died of hantavirus infection. ” It added: “Her blood samples tested positive for a recent hantavirus infection at the state health department lab and the University of New Mexico Medical Center.
“CDC has offered to test samples to learn more about the strain of virus that infected the individual and to perform pathology testing. “
Source: Mirror
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