Six Frankfurt Airport employees have contracted malaria, with one worker dying and five others receiving treatment.
German health officials believe infected mosquitoes may have arrived aboard an aircraft, prompting the installation of mosquito traps around the airport.
Locally transmitted malaria is extremely rare in Germany, with the last recorded case of airport malaria also occurring at Frankfurt Airport in 2023.
Hitchhiker Mosquito Kills Frankfurt Airport Worker Of Malaria
A rare malaria outbreak at Frankfurt Airport has infected six employees and killed one, with German health officials investigating whether malaria-carrying mosquitoes arrived aboard an aircraft
Summary
A Frankfurt Airport worker has died of malaria after a rare outbreak led to six employees contracting the infection. The remaining five infected individuals are currently receiving medical treatment, a spokesperson for airport operator Fraport said.
"Sadly, we must confirm that one employee has died as a result of the infection," the Fraport spokesperson told the BBC.
Authorities have installed traps at the airport to capture the insects. Scientists will analyse the captured mosquitoes in a laboratory to determine their species and origin.
What Happened At Frankfurt Airport?
The outbreak was first reported in July. It initially involved four workers who fell ill between 4 and 6 July, according to the Robert Koch Institute. German public health officials believe the mosquitoes arrived at the country's busiest airport on an aircraft.
"We have provided comprehensive information to all employees and encourage them to consult a doctor if they experience any symptoms," the Fraport spokesperson added.
Malaria transmission within Germany is extremely rare. The Frankfurt Public Health Department is leading the investigation into the outbreak. The BBC has contacted the department for comment. Airport transmission of the disease is highly uncommon in the country. The Robert Koch Institute—a German federal government agency and research institute for disease control and public health—stated that malaria in Germany almost exclusively affects long-haul travellers who contract the infection in endemic areas.
"The lack of a travel history can lead to a delayed diagnosis. A delayed diagnosis increases the risk of a severe course of the diseases," the institute stated in its epidemiological bulletin. The last recorded case of airport malaria in Germany occurred in 2023, also at Frankfurt Airport, the institute added.
How Could Malaria-Carrying Mosquitoes Reach Germany?
The infection is caused by a parasite and does not spread from person to person. According to the World Health Organisation, malaria is a preventable and curable parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes, primarily in tropical countries. Symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening.
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Officials believe an infected mosquito may have entered the country aboard an aircraft arriving at Frankfurt Airport. If confirmed, the insect could then have bitten people at or around the airport, leading to local transmission. However, authorities have not yet established the exact source of the outbreak.
Mosquito traps have therefore been placed around the airport, with captured insects being sent for laboratory analysis. Researchers will examine the mosquitoes to identify their species and determine where they originated. The investigation is also expected to help establish whether the insects were capable of transmitting malaria.
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