Actor Gene Hackman died of natural causes, New Mexico’s chief medical examiner said today. His wife, Betsy Arakawa, died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome and likely passed before her husband. Follow for live news updates.

Gene Hackman's wife died from a virus often found in rodents, and the actor likely died a week later, but both died from natural causes, officials in Santa Fe, New Mexico, said Friday.

Gene Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa tragically died alongside her husband in February,with tests showing the classical pianist contracted the rare rodent disease Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS). She is believed to have contracted the horrific disease through exposure to rat droppings in the couple's garage and outhouses.

Hackman, 95, died of cardiovascular and Alzheimer's disease likely around Feb. 18, about one week after his wife died from a rare syndrome, hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, on about Feb. 11, officials said.

Betsy Arakawa — the classical pianist married to Gene Hackman — died last month of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare infectious disease linked to rodents, New Mexico authorities announced Friday.

Betsy Arakawa, the wife of the late Gene Hackman, died of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, New Mexico officials said Friday.

The New Mexico Department of Health confirmed a 65-year-old woman from Santa Fe County died of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. This is the first case reported in the state this year New Mexico officials identified the woman as Betsy Arakawa,

Authorities revealed Friday that actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease, with severe Alzheimer’s disease as a contributing factor, a full week after his wife died of hantavirus in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home.

Gene Hackman's wife Betsy Arakawa caught hantavirus, which is found throughout the world and spread by contact with rodents or their urine or faeces, but not between people