{"id":2411408,"date":"2025-03-08T14:15:59","date_gmt":"2025-03-08T19:15:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-is-hantavirus-the-infection-that-killed-gene-hackmans-wife-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2025-03-08T14:17:11","modified_gmt":"2025-03-08T19:17:11","slug":"what-is-hantavirus-the-infection-that-killed-gene-hackmans-wife-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-is-hantavirus-the-infection-that-killed-gene-hackmans-wife-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"What is hantavirus, the infection that killed Gene Hackman\u2019s wife? &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwhat-is-hantavirus-the-infection-that-killed-gene-hackmans-wife-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2411408&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Betsy Arakawa, the wife \u200bof \u2064actor Gene Hackman, has died from hantavirus infection,\u200c according to officials in New Mexico. Hantavirus is\u200d primarily transmitted through contact with infected\u2064 rodents or\u200b their droppings, and it cannot be spread from person to \u200dperson. While there is no specific treatment or cure for the infection,\u2063 seeking \u2062medical attention early can enhance the chances of survival. Symptoms often mimic the flu, beginning with fatigue, \u200cfever, and muscle \u2062aches, and can progress to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/experts-warn-homebuyers-of-red-flags-beyond-climbing-interest-rates\/\" title=\"... Homebuyers of Red Flags Beyond Climbing Interest Rates\">severe respiratory issues<\/a>, potentially \u200bleading to \u200bdeath in about a third of cases.\u2062 Since its\u200d recognition in 1993, primarily in\u2064 the western United States,\u200c hantavirus has resulted in 864\u2062 reported cases and \u206252 deaths in New \u200cMexico alone. Current \u200dresearch aims to\u2062 better understand the virus \u2063and its effects, \u2063as many questions remain about its varying severity and treatment\u2062 options. Preventative \u200bmeasures\u2063 emphasize reducing contact\u200c with rodents and their waste.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">What is hantavirus, the infection that killed Betsy Arakawa, Gene Hackman&rsquo;s wife?<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2031875\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Gene Hackman&rsquo;s wife, Betsy Arakawa,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/gene-hackman-death-betsy-arakawa-investigation-c94b2cb4d5d7aec9a1a39a81b46dbdf9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">died from hantavirus infection<\/a>, officials in New Mexico announced Friday.<\/p>\n<p>Hantavirus, found throughout the world, is spread by contact with rodents or their urine or feces. It does not spread between people. There is no specific treatment or cure, but early medical attention can increase the chance of survival.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3341619\/12-people-wounded-by-3-men-shooting-randomly-at-toronto-pub\/\">12 people wounded by 3 men shooting randomly at Toronto pub customers, police say<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3341612\/protesters-on-international-womens-day-demand-equal-rights\/\">Protesters on International Women&rsquo;s Day demand equal rights, end to discrimination, sexual violence<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3341579\/trump-student-loan-illegal-immigration-dei-protests\/\">Trump blocks student loan aid for people tied to illegal immigration, DEI, protests<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3292730\/all-executive-orders-actions-trump-first-day\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FULL LIST OF EXECUTIVE ORDERS, ACTIONS, AND PROCLAMATIONS TRUMP HAS MADE AS PRESIDENT<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>An infection can rapidly progress and become life-threatening.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;It really starts like the flu: body aches, feeling poorly overall,&rdquo; said Dr. Sonja Bartolome of UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. &ldquo;Early in the illness, you really may not be able to tell the difference between hantavirus and having the flu.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The virus can cause a severe and sometimes <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">deadly lung infection called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome<\/a>, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency began tracking the virus after a 1993 outbreak in the Four Corners region &mdash; the area where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah meet.<\/p>\n<p>It was an astute physician with the Indian Health Service who first&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC6199996\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">noticed a pattern of deaths<\/a>&nbsp;among young patients, said Dr. Michelle Harkins, a pulmonologist with the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center who for years has been studying the disease and helping patients.<a><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/world\/3322635\/experts-warn-trump-foreign-aid-pivot-boon-china\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">EXPERTS WARN THAT TRUMP&rsquo;S FOREIGN AID PIVOT COULD BE A BOON FOR CHINA<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/measles-texas-new-mexico-deaths-mmr-vaccine-a1295c78fade561479da65d72d8a5774\"><\/a>&ldquo;They were healthy, they had no <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/congressmen-to-profile-one-political-prisoner-a-day-ahead-of-china-olympics\/\" title=\"Congressmen to Profile One Political Prisoner a Day Ahead of China Olympics\">medical problems<\/a> and they were coming in with a cardiopulmonary arrest,&rdquo; she said, prompting the CDC&rsquo;s involvement as experts worked to determine what the patients had in common.<\/p>\n<p>The majority of U.S. cases since then have been in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/the-anatomy-of-a-stolen-election-the-fraud-cannot-stand\/\" title=\"The Anatomy of a Stolen Election \u2013 The Fraud Cannot Stand\">western states<\/a>, especially the southwest. Between 1993 and 2022, there were 864 reported U.S. cases. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/New-Mexico\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">New Mexico<\/a> had the highest number over that time, at 122, followed by Colorado at 119.<\/p>\n<p>There were seven cases confirmed in 2023 and another seven in 2024, according to the New Mexico Department of Health. As for deaths, the state has reported 52 between 1975 and 2023.<\/p>\n<p>The CDC has offered to test samples involved in Arakawa&rsquo;s case to learn more about the strain of virus that infected her and to perform pathology testing.<\/p>\n<p>Symptoms start one to eight weeks after exposure and initially can include fatigue, fever and muscle aches, according to the CDC. As the disease progresses, symptoms can include coughing, shortness of breath and tightness in the chest as the lungs fill with fluid. About a third of people who develop respiratory symptoms from the disease can die, the CDC says.<\/p>\n<p>Despite years of research, Harkins said many questions have yet to be answered, including why it can be mild for some people and very severe for others and how antibodies are developed. She and other researchers have been following patients over long periods of time in hopes of finding a treatment.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3228342\/department-of-government-efficiency-what-to-know\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WHAT IS DOGE? WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;A lot of mysteries,&rdquo; she said, noting that what researchers do know is that mouse exposure is a key.<\/p>\n<p>The best way to avoid the germ is to minimize contact with rodents and their droppings. Use protective gloves and a bleach solution for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/healthy-pets\/rodent-control\/clean-up.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cleaning up rodent droppings<\/a>. Public health experts caution against sweeping or vacuuming which can cause virus to get into the air.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_2031875\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"2031875\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is hantavirus, the infection that claimed Betsy Arakawa&#8217;s life? Gene Hackman&#8217;s wife, Betsy Arakawa, passed away from a hantavirus infection, as reported by New Mexico officials on Friday. Hantavirus is globally present and transmitted through contact with rodents or their waste. It cannot be transmitted between humans. There is no specific treatment or cure available<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":136,"featured_media":2411409,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/gene-hackman-academy-award_1023x682.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[51213,51785,4964,14218,4133],"class_list":["post-2411408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-gene-hackman","tag-hantavirus","tag-health","tag-infection","tag-news"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/gene-hackman-academy-award_1023x682.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2411408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/136"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2411408"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2411408\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2411412,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2411408\/revisions\/2411412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2411409"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2411408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2411408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2411408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}