Three Mammoth Lakes residents have died from Gene Hackman’s wife’s hantavirus pulmonary syndrome since early February, reported California health officials on Thursday. The latest case was a young adult, and it only added to the concern caused by this rare and virulent outbreak in the tight-knit community in the Eastern Sierra mountain area.
Mono County’s health chief, Dr. Tom Boo, was deeply troubled by a recent turn of events, describing it as both “tragic” and “alarming.” Typically, hantavirus cases begin to appear later in the season, during spring and throughout the summer.
Mono County Public Health has confirmed a third death due to Hantavirus in the Town of Mammoth Lakes. Hantavirus is a serious and often fatal illness that people can get through contact with infected deer mouse droppings, urine, or saliva. Deer mice are widespread in the Eastern… pic.twitter.com/891cm1PBP5
— Mono County (@countyofmono) April 3, 2025
But this year alone, three individuals have already come down with the disease, something that has him seriously concerned. “The occurrence of three cases in a short period has me worried, especially this early in the year,” he released to the public in a statement. And for the most recent individual to have contracted it, they’re still attempting to discover exactly how.
Hantavirus is a very rare disease that typically spreads from rodents, especially deer mice, to humans. It may occur if one unknowingly inhales fragments of dust containing the virus from infected rodent droppings, urine, or saliva.
The CDC says that the disease begins with signs such as getting a fever, feeling extremely exhausted, and sore muscles. If it is not detected and treated early, it can cause a severe lung disorder called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS).
The @CDCgov fails to mention here that Hantavirus is also #AIRBORNE. When cleaning areas potentially affected by rodents, use a respirator!
So curious how the CDC always refuses to mention the same words: respirator, mask, airborne… 🤔🤨 https://t.co/RThb5N9tiJ pic.twitter.com/J92uMKWXOb
— Danielle Beckman (@DaniBeckman) March 8, 2025
Dr. Boo talked about a recent case. There weren’t any clear signs of mice at the sick person’s house. However, they did find “some mice” where the person worked. The doctor also said, “We haven’t identified any other activities in the weeks before illness that would have increased this person’s exposure.”
This, along with people hearing about it earlier than usual and seeing more mice around, has some folks in the area worried that more people could be at risk of getting the disease.
The outbreak of a rare illness occurred shortly after the sad news of Betsy Arakawa’s passing. She was the wife of well-known movie star Gene Hackman. Betsy and Gene were discovered in their home in Santa Fe on February 26th. What they discovered was that she had an extremely critical condition known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which is what resulted in her death.
Gene Hackman, being 94 years old, also tested negative for this disease. Instead, his body was diagnosed with issues related to his blood vessels and heart, which resulted in his death. He had Alzheimer’s, too, which would have contributed to his illness.
Even though these recent events with Gene and Betsy happened around the same time, the people in charge want to make it clear that the three new cases of people dying in Mammoth Lakes are not connected to them.
The news of Gene Hackman’s wife passing away has made more people aware of the virus again, though. It’s a disease that doesn’t affect a lot of people in the US each year, but it’s always there. Local officials are a bit worried about the odd timing of some recent cases and have noticed that there are more deer mice around the Eastern Sierra than usual.
According to Boo, “Mouse activity indoors is not uncommon this time of year, but we believe the risk is higher than usual.”
The way these cases are grouped, without any obvious shared risks like poor airflow or not cleaning up after mice properly, has everyone on their toes. “We’ve now gone about a month without any additional suspect cases,” Boo added, “but remain concerned about the increase in activity.”
Since no new infections have been found since the start of March, the folks in charge of public health are telling people to be extra careful. They suggest fixing up your homes, so mice can’t get in, not sweeping up their droppings because it can spread the sickness through the air, and using cleaning products to wipe down areas where you think mice have been before you start cleaning.
The California health departments are still attempting to discover what is happening with the Mammoth Lakes cases. Meanwhile, residents are reminded to remain vigilant, particularly now that the weather is warming, and they may start to notice more mice.
