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

Authorities say hantavirus is blamed in the death of Gene Hackman’s wife, Betsy Arakawa. The rare virus is spread by contact with rodents or their urine or feces.

Actor Gene Hackman died of heart disease a full week after his wife died from hantavirus in their New Mexico home, likely unaware that she was dead because he was in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease, authorities revealed Friday.