…traps set up at airport to catch culprit mosquitoes
A Frankfurt Airport worker has died from malaria after mosquitoes believed to have arrived in Germany aboard an aircraft infected six airport employees in a rare outbreak.
German public health officials believe the mosquitoes were transported by plane to Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s busiest airport, before transmitting malaria to workers who had not travelled to malaria-endemic countries.
Six male airport employees working in different jobs and areas of the airport contracted the disease. One has since died, while the other five are receiving medical treatment, according to airport operator Fraport.
“Sadly, we must confirm that one employee has died as a result of the infection,” a Fraport spokesperson told the BBC.
“We have provided comprehensive information to all employees and encourage them to consult a doctor if they experience any symptoms.”
The Frankfurt Public Health Department is investigating the outbreak, while blood samples are being analysed to establish whether the six workers were infected by the same mosquito or several mosquitoes.
Mosquito traps have also been installed around the airport. Captured mosquitoes will undergo laboratory analysis “to determine their species and possible origin”, reports the BBC.
Germany’s Robert Koch Institute had earlier reported that four airport employees became ill between July 4 and 6 and said mosquitoes carrying malaria parasites were believed to have been brought into the country aboard an aircraft. The number of confirmed infections has since risen to six.
The Robert Koch Institute warned that when patients have no history of travel to malaria-affected countries, doctors may not immediately suspect the disease, potentially delaying diagnosis and increasing the risk of severe illness. Frankfurt Airport previously recorded a case of so-called “airport malaria” in 2023.
Malaria is caused by parasites transmitted to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. The disease is preventable and curable, but severe malaria can be fatal if it is not diagnosed and treated quickly.
