Records of the Department of Public Health of the New Mexico obtained by the CNN They revealed findings of dead rodents and nests in eight isolated premises on the property of the late actor Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa.
Environmental assessment of the site of extensive property was held in March, a week after Hackman and his wife were.
Arakawa died of a rare disease that humans can contract for contact with rodents, rodent feces, saliva and urine, according to the office of New Mexico medical investigator. She was 65 years old.
According to the report, rodent feces were found in three garages, two houses and three warehouses. A living rodent, a dead rodent and a rodent nest were found in the three isolated garagess.
The New Mexico Health Department team conducted the risk assessment on March 5 as part of Hackman and Arakawa’s death investigation to ensure the security of first rescuers and family members who had access to property.
The risk of exposure at the main residence was low, according to New Mexico State Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps. The report said there were no signs of rodent activity and was clean. The other eight buildings on the property were accessible to rodents, the report said.
In two vehicles on the property (listed as a vehicle in operation or abandoned or agricultural equipment), there were also sightings of rodents, a nest and feces. The investigators also found traps on the premises.
Hantavirus is a rare but severe disease that resulted in fatalities for 41% of patients in New Mexico. The state of the southwest had the largest number of reported cases of hantavirus in the country.
The Mayo Clinic recommends avoiding contact with rodents, if possible, and use protection to clean habitats due to limited treatments for the disease. Currently, there is no specific treatment for Hantavirus and symptoms, which present themselves as the flu at the beginning, can take up to two months to appear, according to the CDC.
Dr. Heather Jarrell, chief of the New Mexico medical investigation office, said Arakawa suddenly died of Hantavirus, while Hackman died days after complications of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease with advanced Alzheimer’s contributing factor for his death. He was 95 years old.
