3 Dead In CA From Same Virus That Killed Gene Hackman's Wife

MAMMOTH LAKES, CA —The same rare virus that claimed the life of Gene Hackman's wife has also killed three people in the rural California town of Mammoth Lakes. Health officials are referring to the recent deaths, which were caused by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, as "tragic" and "alarming."

Betsy Arakawa, the wife of Hackman, died in February of hantavirus in the couple's New Mexico home, bringing more attention to the rare, but deadly, virus.

Hantavirus is contracted through contact with infected deer mouse droppings, urine or saliva.

This past week, Tom Boo, Mono County Public Health Officer, confirmed that a third person had died from hantavirus.

"A third case of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), each of which has been fatal, is tragic and alarming," said Dr. Tom Boo, Mono County Public Health Officer, in a press release this past week. "We don't have a clear sense of where this young adult may have contracted the virus. The home had no evidence of mouse activity. We observed some mice in the workplace, which is not unusual for indoor spaces this time of year in Mammoth Lakes. We haven't identified any other activities in the weeks before illness that would have increased this person's exposure to mice or their droppings."

He added that having three deaths from Hantavirus in a short period so early in the year "has him worried."

"Historically, we tend to see Hantavirus cases later in the spring and in the summer. We've now gone about a month without any additional suspect cases, but remain concerned about the increase in activity," Boo said. He added that health officials believe that deer mouse numbers are high this year in Mammoth — and likely elsewhere in the Easter Sierra — and an increase in indoor mice elevates the risk of Hantavirus exposure.

Contracting Hantavirus is extremely rare, according to health officials.

From 1993 to 2022, there were only 864 reported cases of hantavirus in the U.S. The virus can be deadly and 38% of people who develop respiratory symptoms may die from the disease, according to health officials.

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