Il Fatto Quotidiano: L’Hantavirus della nave da crociera uccise la moglie di Gene Hackman, ma con importanti differenze: ecco perché

L’Hantavirus al centro del focolaio sulla nave da crociera MV Hondius non è nuovo. E’ una vecchia conoscenza che, seppur nota dalla scienza da decenni, ha fatto parlare di sé poco più di un anno fa. Esattamente a febbraio 2025, quando uccise Betsy Arakawa, la moglie del defunto attore Gene Hackman. Hackman e Arakawa furono entrambi trovati morti nella loro casa di Santa Fe, nel New Mexico. Hackman, di 95 anni, morì qualche giorno dopo la moglie per cause naturali: un’insufficienza cardiaca unita a diverse complicazioni dovute all’Alzheimer. Arakawa, di 65 anni, morì a causa della sindrome polmonare da Hantavirus.
Sebbene il virus responsabile del decesso della donna e quello che ha colpito i passeggeri della MV Hondius appartengano alla stessa famiglia, le dinamiche del contagio appaiono profondamente diverse. Gli Hantavirus vengono normalmente trasmessi all’uomo attraverso il contatto diretto con urina, feci o saliva di roditori infetti. Tuttavia, mentre la trasmissione interumana è considerata un evento estremamente raro, le autorità sanitarie sospettano che sia stata proprio questa la modalità di diffusione tra i passeggeri della nave.
Nel caso di Betsy Arakawa, invece, il contagio seguì una via più “classica”. Un’ispezione ambientale nella proprietà di Santa Fe rivelò una massiccia presenza di roditori: furono rinvenuti escrementi in diversi edifici di pertinenza della villa, tra cui tre garage, due dépendance e tre capanni. I rilievi confermarono inoltre il ritrovamento di nidi e di esemplari, sia vivi che morti, all’interno dei garage.
Le indagini successive hanno ricostruito i difficili giorni precedenti la tragedia. La Arakawa era stata vista in pubblico con indosso una mascherina e le analisi dei suoi dispositivi elettronici hanno rivelato ricerche online relative ai sintomi del Covid-19 e a sindromi influenzali. La donna aveva inoltre acquistato bombole d’ossigeno su Amazon: un estremo tentativo di “supporto respiratorio” che testimonia come lei, o lo stesso Hackman, stessero combattendo contro le letali difficoltà respiratorie.
L'articolo L’Hantavirus della nave da crociera uccise la moglie di Gene Hackman, ma con importanti differenze: ecco perché proviene da Il Fatto Quotidiano.

The cruise ship hantavirus killed the wife of Gene Hackman, but with important differences: here's why

The Hantavirus at the center of the outbreak on the MV Hondius cruise ship is not new. It’s an old acquaintance that, although known to science for decades, made headlines just over a year ago. Exactly in February 2025, when it killed Betsy Arakawa, the wife of the deceased actor Gene Hackman. Hackman and Arakawa were both found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home. Hackman, at 95 years old, died a few days after his wife due to natural causes: a heart failure combined with several complications due to Alzheimer’s disease. Arakawa, at 65 years old, died from Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome.

Although the virus responsible for the woman’s death and that which affected the passengers of the MV Hondius belong to the same family, the dynamics of transmission appear profoundly different. Hantaviruses are normally transmitted to humans through direct contact with the urine, feces, or saliva of infected rodents. However, while interhuman transmission is considered an extremely rare event, health authorities suspect that this was the mode of spread among the ship’s passengers.

In the case of Betsy Arakawa, instead, the contagion followed a more “classic” route. An environmental inspection of the Santa Fe property revealed a massive presence of rodents: excrements were found in several buildings associated with the villa, including three garages, two outbuildings, and three shacks. The findings also confirmed the discovery of nests and specimens, both alive and dead, inside the garages.

Subsequent investigations reconstructed the difficult days preceding the tragedy. Arakawa had been seen in public wearing a mask, and analysis of her electronic devices revealed online searches related to the symptoms of COVID-19 and influenza syndromes. The woman had also purchased oxygen cylinders on Amazon: an extreme attempt at “respiratory support” that testified to the fact that she, or Hackman himself, were fighting against the deadly respiratory difficulties.

The article “The Cruise Ship Hantavirus Killed Gene Hackman’s Wife, but with Important Differences: Here’s Why” comes from Il Fatto Quotidiano.

#GeneHackman #BetsyArakawa #Hackman #Arakawa #SantaFe #NewMexico #Hantaviruses #Amazon #IlFattoQuotidiano

https://www.ilfattoquotidiano.it/2026/05/12/lhantavirus-della-nave-da-crociera-uccise-la-moglie-di-gene-hackman-ma-con-importanti-differenze-ecco-perche/8383097/

L’Hantavirus della nave da crociera uccise la moglie di Gene Hackman, ma con importanti differenze: ecco…

Lo stesso virus, ma contagi diversi: ecco le differenze tra il caso Betsy Arakawa e l'outbreak sulla MV Hondius

Il Fatto Quotidiano

@Heidentweet
This is a cool CSIRO article on Hantaviruses― difference between European/Asian Hantaviruses and South American ones.

It adds cardio to pulmonary in the HPS, to make the acronym of hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome, HCS.

https://www.csiro.au/en/news/All/Articles/2026/May/Hantavirus-explainer

#AndesVirus #Hantaviruses #CSIRO #HPS #HCS

Hantavirus: the ‘silent’ virus

As a hantavirus outbreak makes global headlines, CSIRO researchers are investigating how these rodent-borne viruses spread and why different strains target specific human organs, like the lungs or kidneys, with such varying levels of severity.

@oblomov

I wouldn't worry too much about that. Most #hantaviruses aren't usually passed from person to person. Avoid rats and you should be fine.

https://ukhsa.blog.gov.uk/2026/05/05/what-is-hantavirus-how-is-it-transmitted-and-what-are-the-symptoms/

#FamousLastWords

@anon_opin

What is hantavirus? How is it transmitted and what are the symptoms? – UK Health Security Agency

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is monitoring and providing public health advice regarding an outbreak of hantavirus linked to a Dutch cruise ship. As of Tuesday 5 May, 6 individuals have become unwell, 2 of whom have been confirmed as having hantavirus. 

#Monitoring of #Astroviruses, #Brno - #Hantaviruses, #Coronaviruses, #Influenza Viruses, #Bornaviruses, #Morbilliviruses, #Lyssaviruses and #Pestiviruses in Austrian #Bats https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/16/8/1232

Using RT-qPCR, 36 samples revealed + or susp. results for astroviruses, Brno-hantaviruses, & CoVs in 9 bat species. Sequencing revealed correspondent sequences in 5 samples. In contrast, none of tested samples was positive for flu A/C/D, bornaviruses, morbilliviruses, lyssaviruses, or pestiviruses.

Monitoring of Astroviruses, Brno-Hantaviruses, Coronaviruses, Influenza Viruses, Bornaviruses, Morbilliviruses, Lyssaviruses and Pestiviruses in Austrian Bats

Here, we report the results of a monitoring study of bat viruses in Austria to strengthen the knowledge of circulating viruses in Austrian bat populations. In this study, we analyzed 618 oropharyngeal and rectal swab samples from 309 bats and 155 pooled tissue samples from dead bats. Samples were collected from 18 different bat species from multiple locations in Austria, from November 2015 to April 2018, and examined for astroviruses, bornaviruses, coronaviruses, hantaviruses, morbilliviruses, orthomyxoviruses (influenza A/C/D viruses), pestiviruses and rhabdoviruses (lyssaviruses) using molecular techniques and sequencing. Using RT-qPCR, 36 samples revealed positive or suspicious results for astroviruses, Brno-hantaviruses, and coronaviruses in nine different bat species. Further sequencing revealed correspondent sequences in five samples. In contrast, none of the tested samples was positive for influenza viruses A/C/D, bornaviruses, morbilliviruses, lyssaviruses, or pestiviruses.

MDPI