Hantaviruses, transmitted from rodents to people, have a death rate approaching 40%. They're found around the world, and because there are no approved vaccines or treatments, they're among the pathogens of highest concern for future pandemics. They made news in the United States in 2025 when Betsy Arakawa, the wife of actor Gene Hackman, died from a hantavirus infection in New Mexico in March.
