The rare hantavirus that killed Gene Hackman‘s wife Betsy Arakawa has claimed the lives of three more people in California.
The victims were all from the town of Mammoth Lakes, around 250 miles inland from San Francisco, where officials said they had been struck by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).
Dr. Tom Boo, the Public Health Officer for Mono County, where the deaths occurred, described the incidents coming so close together as ‘tragic and alarming.’
The health official said it is not yet understood where the deceased individuals had contracted the deadly virus, which is exceedingly uncommon.
HPS is so rare in the US that only one or two people die every year, and there have only been around 1,000 cases in the past three decades, mostly among farmers, hikers and campers and homeless populations.
The deaths come weeks after Hackman, 95, and Arakawa, 65, were found dead in their New Mexico home on February 26, after Arakawa suffered HPS and passed away and left Hackman to die days later.
At a press conference held after their bodies were discovered, medical investigators said Arakawa was infected with hantavirus which caused a deadly build-up of fluid in her lungs.
The virus is spread through the inhalation of airborne particles containing the virus, which is typically found in the urine, droppings or saliva of infected rodents.
Three people have died in the town of Mammoth Lakes, California (pictured) from the same rare hantavirus disease that recently killed the wife of actor Gene Hackman
Gene Hackman’s wife Betsy Arakawa (pictured here with Hackman in 1993) died of the rare rodent disease hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
After Arakawa passed away, Hackman, who was suffering from Alzheimer’s, died from cardiovascular disease days later.
Arakawa was found in the bathroom of the couple’s home, and the scene left behind told a grim tale of how quickly she declined after being struck down by HPS.
She was found lying on the floor with her head next to a space heater with thyroid medication pills scattered around her.
Hackman may have wandered around the sprawling 9,000-square-foot home, lost and confused, for seven days – without his partner of three decades by his side to feed and care for him, or look after their three treasured dogs.
Left to fend for himself and with his wife’s body decomposing in their bathroom, Hackman, who was already in ‘very poor health’, went without food.
An autopsy showed his stomach was empty at the time of his death.
Hackman was found dead with his cane and sunglasses by his side in a room just off the kitchen following an apparent fall – hinting he may have been on his way out of the home before his weak heart gave in.
His pacemaker’s last recorded activity was on February 18 – but help would not arrive until over a week later.
Pictured above is the home of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa. DailyMail.com understands that while there were no mouse droppings in the main house, they were in the garage and two smaller buildings on the property
The couple, who died within days of each other in February, were found near one of their German Shephard dogs in its cage
The dogs were discovered loose when the mummified bodies of Hackman and Arakawa were discovered on February 26 by two maintenance workers.
DailyMail.com understands while there was no rodent activity in the main house, there were rodent droppings in the couple’s garage and outhouses.
Experts told this website Arakawa could have picked HPS up from cleaning those areas. Officials added that based on surveillance footage, Arakawa was not ill in the days leading up to her death.
Hackman and Arakawa’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.
Hantavirus is not known to spread from person to person, and health officials confirmed Hackman was negative for the virus and died from natural causes, including Alzheimer’s disease.
HPS 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.
The type of hantavirus found in the Southwest is spread by deer mouse, which is commonly found in New Mexico.
Symptoms typically show up within one to eight weeks of exposure to infected rodents.
HPS is an extremely rare disease usually spread by rodents through saliva, urine, feces, or bites. In the US, it’s most commonly spread by the deer mouse, pictured here
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.
HPS is thought to kill 30 to 40 percent of patients, and there is no specific treatment for the virus.
Patients are instead given supportive therapies like rest, hydration, and breathing support.
The CDC estimates HPS only affects about 40 to 50 Americans per year, and only 864 cases were identified between 1993 and 2022, the latest data available.
In New Mexico, where Hackman and Arakawa lived, there have been 129 cases of hantavirus confirmed since 1993, including seven in 2023, the most recent year data is available.
