Two German airport workers die of malaria after ‘mosquito arrives on plane’

Two employees at Frankfurt Airport have tragically passed away from malaria after being infected by mosquitoes, according to German public health officials. The outbreak, which was first detected in July, has led to six workers contracting the serious infection. German authorities believe the mosquitoes entered the airport via a plane.

Airport operator Fraport released a statement confirming that one employee died from the infection, while public health officials later reported that two of the affected individuals had succumbed to the disease. Traps have been set up at the airport, and captured mosquitoes will be analyzed in a laboratory to determine their species and origin.

Fraport has advised all employees to seek medical attention if they experience any symptoms. The Frankfurt Public Health Department is currently investigating the outbreak. Six male airport workers from different departments and areas of the airport were infected, and officials are examining blood samples to determine if they were bitten by one mosquito or multiple mosquitoes.

Public health officials have stated that the risk to the Frankfurt population remains very low, emphasizing that the disease is not contagious from person to person and is transmitted solely by mosquitoes. Laboratory tests to identify the source of the infections are expected to take several weeks. The Robert Koch Institute, a German federal agency responsible for disease control and public health, reported that the four infected workers fell ill between 4 and 6 July, and the mosquitoes originated from a plane.

The institute noted that malaria cases in Germany typically affect long-haul travelers who contracted the disease while in endemic areas. The last instance of airport malaria occurred in 2023 at Frankfurt Airport. Malaria is a mosquito-borne disease primarily found in tropical regions, as stated by the World Health Organization.