Frankfurt’s health authorities have confirmed that two airport employees died after being infected with malaria parasites. The disease-carrying mosquito is believed to have arrived on an international flight that landed at the airport.
Earlier, airport officials had reported one fatality among six infected employees. By last Wednesday, that number had risen to two.
Germany’s Robert Koch Institute (RKI) identified the most likely source of infection as an Anopheles mosquito that entered the country by air. The institute noted that malaria cases are rare in Germany, with the most recent airport-related outbreak recorded in 2023.
The RKI warned that the rarity of such cases could put patients at a disadvantage, as doctors may not immediately suspect the disease, delaying diagnosis and increasing the risk of severe progression.
The four remaining employees are receiving intensive hospital care. An airport spokesperson said mosquito traps have been installed in the affected work areas to control the situation.
Captured mosquitoes are being sent to the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, for genetic testing to determine their origin.
Malaria is a serious infectious disease transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes, causing symptoms such as nausea, headache, high fever with chills, and shivering. The disease claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. If detected early, patients can be completely cured.
