CDC Alerted of Hantavirus That Killed Betsy Arakawa, Considered ‘Notifiable Disease’

It is unlikely the canine died as a result of the same disease that killed Arakawa, New Mexico State Veterinarian Erin Phipps says.

Actor Gene Hackman with wife Betsy Arakawa in June 1993. AP Photo

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been notified of the case of hantavirus that led to the death of 63-year-old Betsy Arakawa, after authorities announced her cause of death on March 7.

New Mexico authorities gave an update in a press conference on the investigation into the deaths of actor Gene Hackman and his wife, whose bodies were found in their Santa Fe home on Feb. 26.

Chief medical examiner Dr. Heather Jarrell said that Hackman likely died of natural causes around Feb. 18, and Arakawa died sometime before him after Feb. 11, which was the last time she was known to be alive before succumbing to hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

According to the CDC, hantavirus is a “severe and potentially deadly disease that affects the lungs” and is contracted when exposed to rodents’ urine, droppings, and saliva.

It does not spread from person to person, and symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, and abdominal pain, can develop weeks after exposure.

New Mexico State Veterinarian, Erin Phipps, noted while officials do not see anything out of the ordinary with this specific case of the virus, it falls under what the CDC would consider a “notifiable disease.”

“This is not an unusual case. We get cases every year, unfortunately,” Phipps said. “We’re not seeing any indications of any abnormal or unusual patterns.”

When a disease is diagnosed, the CDC requires it to be reported to either state or local health officials, including in this case.

“Notifiable diseases are of public interest by reason of their contagiousness, severity, or frequency,” read its website.

Autopsy findings revealed Hackman, 95, had a history of cardiovascular disease, along with advanced Alzheimer’s, with Jarrell noting his poor health made it possible he was “not aware” his wife had died.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza said Arakawa was last seen on surveillance footage shopping on Feb. 11 and did not show any signs of trauma or ailments while getting around.

On Feb. 26, the bodies of Hackman, his wife, and one of their dogs were discovered in their Santa Fe estate by a maintenance worker who contacted authorities.

During a search warrant at the time, investigators with the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office said they had been dead for a substantial period of time before being found.

The two were found in different rooms, with Hackman in a mudroom near his cane and Arakawa in a bathroom near a space heater with an open bottle of prescription pills scattered on a nearby countertop.

Family Dog’s Potential Cause of Death

Their Australian kelpie mix canine, previously misidentified as the couple’s German shepherd, was also discovered in the closet of the bathroom near Arakawa.

As necropsy results are pending, the dog’s official cause of death has not been confirmed. Phipps notes dehydration and starvation could have been a possible scenario.

She added that it is unlikely the canine died as a result of the same disease that killed Arakawa.

“Dogs do not get sick from hantavirus,” Phipps said during the press conference. “These viruses are zoonotic, meaning they are transmitted from animals to humans.”

Investigators identified “signs of rodent entry” among structures on the couple’s property; however, Phipps said the overall risk of exposure was low compared to other homes in the area.

Through the end of 2024, 136 infections have been identified over the last 50 years in New Mexico, with five being in Santa Fe county, said Phipps.