Growing concern as California hotel worker dies from same rare rodent disease that killed Gene Hackman's wife
An employee of a well-known California ski resort has died from the same rodent-caused illness as Gene Hackman 's wife Betsy Arakawa.
Rodrigo Becerra, 26, who worked as a bellman at the Mammoth Mountain Inn, was found dead in his home from hantavirus pulmonary syndrome complication on March 6.
Hantavirus is considered an extremely rare and deadly disease spread by rodents' urine, droppings and salvia.
Humans can catch the virus by touching contaminated objects or being bitten by an infected animal. The disease can also be airborne, meaning people can become deathly ill via inhalation, according to the CDC.
Becerra is the third person to perish from hantavirus in Mono County this year, sparking immense concern among the small community's locals.
'A third case of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), each of which has been fatal, is tragic and alarming,' Dr. Tom Boo of Mono County Public Health said in a statement earlier this month.
Becerra died just a few days before his 27th birthday.
Before the ski enthusiast's untimely death, he felt sick for about two weeks, even going to the hospital to get antibiotics the night before he died, his sister Mariela Becerra told SFGate.
Although it is unclear how Becerra caught the fatal virus, Becerra was likely exposed to it at work.
The director of health and safety for Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, David Andrews, told SFGate: 'A very small amount of rodent droppings were found in the bell area and behind the front desk, very near the front entrance at Mammoth Mountain Inn (MMI).
'The trace amounts found weren't concerning to health officials...We don't have reason for concern about workplace exposure at MMI for our employees or guests.'
Mono County is the fourth-smallest county in California and is home to just over 13,000 people.
All three residents who have died from hantavirus this year were employed at workplaces that had evidence of rodents, Mono County Health spokesperson Justin Caporusso told SFGate.
'Note that investigators found evidence of the presence of mice in the workplaces of each of these three people, but in no case did they find a gross infestation, a situation that would pose an obvious health risk,' he said.
Andrews defended the resort, asserting they have had a 'comprehensive hantavirus policy in place for years.'
He also told the outlet the resort has hired a company to deep-clean areas 'that have seen rodent activity.'
In his early-April statement, Boo explained: 'We observed some mice in [Becerra's] workplace, which is not unusual for indoor spaces this time of year in Mammoth Lakes.
'We haven't identified any other activities in the weeks before illness that would have increased this person's exposure to mice or their droppings.'
Mariela said her family feels no resentment towards the Mammoth, as her brother thoroughly enjoyed being a part of its community.
Last month, the resort hosted a celebration of life to honor the passing of their devoted employee.
'Mammoth was always such a special place to him,' his sister wrote in a GoFundMe tribute, which has raised more than $17,400.
'This ski season he is sitting at the top of the Mammoth leaderboard with 96 days of skiing on the mountain he loved most.
'He was so excited to get to 100 days by his birthday.'
Becerra's heartbreaking death comes after Hackman's classical pianist wife Arakawa, 65, died earlier this year from the same grueling disease.
Authorities believe Arakawa died on February 12, with her Oscar winner husband, 95, tragically passing about six days later from Alzheimer's and heart disease complications.
Their corpses were not discovered until weeks after they died in their New Mexico home.
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