German airport worker dies of malaria after 'mosquito arrives on plane'

Two Frankfurt Airport workers have died from malaria after a rare outbreak caused six employees to contract the serious infection spread by mosquitoes. The mosquitoes are believed to have arrived at Germany's busiest airport on a plane, triggering an outbreak first detected in July. Airport operator Fraport confirmed one employee's death, while public health officials later stated two of the infected individuals had died.

Mosquito traps have been installed at the airport to analyze the species and origin of the insects. The outbreak is being investigated by the Frankfurt Public Health Department. The six infected male workers were from various jobs and areas of the airport; laboratory tests are being conducted to determine if they were infected by one mosquito or multiple mosquitoes.

Public health officials emphasized that the risk to Frankfurt's population is very low, as the disease is not transmissible between people but is transmitted by mosquitoes. The Robert Koch Institute reported the four initial infected workers fell ill between July 4 and 6, attributing the mosquitoes' introduction to a plane. Malaria in Germany typically affects long-haul travelers from endemic areas, and airport-transmitted cases are rare.

The last airport malaria case at Frankfurt occurred in 2023. Malaria is spread by certain mosquitoes that bite humans and is mostly found in tropical countries. The infection, preventable and curable, is caused by a parasite and can range from mild to life-threatening.