Gene Hackman died a week after the rare hantavirus killed his wife, officials say
Gene Hackman's wife died from a virus found in rodents, and the actor, who was in an “advanced state of Alzheimer’s," likely died a week later, officials in Santa Fe, New Mexico, said Friday.
Gene Hackman's wife died from a virus found in rodents, and the actor, who was in an “advanced state of Alzheimer’s," likely died a week later, officials in Santa Fe, New Mexico, said Friday.
Betsy Arakawa, 65, died from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, and the Oscar-winning actor, who was in very poor health, died seven days later, said Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief medical investigator for the New Mexico office of the medical investigator.
His cause of death was determined to be "hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with Alzheimer's disease as a significant contributory factor," she said, based on autopsy findings.
“I can tell you that he was in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s, and it’s quite possible he was not aware" his wife was dead in their home, Jarrell added.
Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, in 1989.MediaPunch / ShutterstockHantaviruses are spread by rodents, primarily through droppings, urine and saliva and can cause serious illness and death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The viruses can cause diseases like hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome.
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