NEWS
Santa Fe resident hospitalized in first 2026 hantavirus case
State health officials urge residents to take precautions when cleaning areas with possible rodent droppings
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A Santa Fe resident was hospitalized after contracting hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, the New Mexico Department of Health said Thursday. The agency said the person has since recovered.
The diagnosis marks the first case of hantavirus in 2026. In 2025, New Mexico recorded seven cases, three of which were fatal. One of those cases involved Betsy Arakawa, a Santa Fe resident and the late actor Gene Hackman's wife. An autopsy ruled it was the cause of her death in February. Hackman was not infected by the disease and died of complications from heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
From 1975 to 2025, the state recorded 142 cases of hantavirus with 55 deaths, according to the NMDOH website.
Hantavirus is a respiratory disease that is fatal in about a third of people affected. Deer mice are the primary carriers of the virus, though it can be found in other rodents, the agency said.
Symptoms of hantavirus develop within one to six weeks of exposure and may feel like the flu. Other symptoms include fever and muscle aches, possibly accompanied by chills, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and a cough, which can progress to severe illness.
"People are typically exposed to hantavirus around their homes, cabins, or sheds, especially when cleaning out or exploring areas where there are mouse droppings," NMDOH said.
Dr. Erin Phipps, a state public health veterinarian for NMDOH, urged New Mexicans to take preventive measures when cleaning areas where rodents may be. "It is important to air out cabins, sheds, garages, and other spaces before any spring cleaning," Phipps said.
NMDOH suggested residents put hay, wood, and compost piles far away from homes and cautioned against sweeping up rodent droppings, which can spread hantavirus particles into the air.
