Hantavirus, the disease that killed Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, earlier this year, is on the rise.
The Nevada Department of Health and Human Services and the Nevada Department of Wildlife announced on Thursday, June 12, that the state recently found two confirmed cases of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.
Hantavirus is a respiratory disease caused by exposure to the droppings, urine or saliva of deer mice. The condition is a severe and potentially deadly disease that affects the lungs, per the CDC. Symptoms can include fatigue, fever, muscle aches, headaches, dizziness, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Symptoms can begin to occur one to eight weeks after coming into contact with an infected rodent.
The Department of Wildlife encouraged the public to be cautious in areas where mice could have nested and left droppings, including sheds, barns, trailers, garages and cabins.
“We urge people to be aware of any signs of rodent activity and to take precautions to reduce the risk of exposure to hantavirus,” state medical epidemiologist Melissa Bullock said in a press release. “Anyone who has been in contact with rodents, nests or droppings and subsequently develops symptoms consistent with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome should see a health care provider immediately.”
Hantavirus made headlines earlier this year as it was Arakawa’s official cause of death. In February, Us Weekly confirmed that Arakawa and Hackman were found dead inside their shared Santa Fe, New Mexico, house. The classical pianist was 65, while the Oscar winner was 95.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Gene Hackman, and his wife, Betsy,” Hackman’s daughters, Elizabeth and Leslie, and granddaughter, Annie, said in a statement to Us at the time. “He was loved and admired by millions around the world for his brilliant acting career, but to us he was always just Dad and Grandpa. We will miss him sorely and are devastated by the loss.”
During a March press conference, it was revealed that Arakawa’s death was ruled natural and due to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Officials believe she was the first to pass. Hackman died due to hypertensive atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with Alzheimer’s disease as a significant contributing factor. Authorities believed that he died one week after his wife.
The following month, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office released photos of Hackman and Arakawa’s property that revealed the pair’s main house was messy. The outbuildings, meanwhile, were rodent-infested.
Hackman and Arakawa were laid to rest during a private memorial service in New Mexico in April.
