2 workers at Germany's Frankfurt Airport die from what is known as 'airport malaria'

Two workers at Germany’s Frankfurt Airport have died after contracting malaria believed to have been spread by a mosquito brought into the country via an aircraft.

A total of six employees became infected with what is known as airport malaria, Fraport, the company that operates the airport, told CNN. Two subsequently died.

“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the loss of our colleagues, and our thoughts are with their families and friends,” Fraport said.

The four other employees have since recovered, according to a report in German news magazine Der Spiegel.

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Airport malaria is a very rare form of the disease’s transmission and occurs when a mosquito survives a flight from a malaria-endemic country and transmits the disease at or near the airport.

In mid-July, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany’s national public health institute, noted that there had been an outbreak of malaria cases among employees at the airport, with multiple individuals falling ill between July 4 and July 6.

It is believed the disease was spread by an Anopheles mosquito brought into Germany on an aircraft, the RKI noted.

Frankfurt health authorities are investigating the incident.

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Among German nationals, malaria almost exclusively affects long-distance travelers who contract the disease from an infected mosquito in an area where it is prevalent, the RKI said, adding that infection at an airport was rare and can lead to a delay in diagnosis due to health professionals rarely suspecting malaria initially.

Early diagnosis and treatment of malaria are crucial to preventing severe illness and fatalities, it added.

Fraport said it had since advised employees to inform their doctor that they work at Frankfurt Airport and that cases of airport malaria had been reported, “to help ensure they receive appropriate medical examination and treatment.”

Mosquito traps have now been installed at the airport, Fraport said, adding that the mosquitoes captured will be genetically analyzed by the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, to determine their species and origin.

The last case of a malaria infection at an airport in Germany occurred in 2023, also at Frankfurt Airport, according to RKI.

Frankfurt Airport is considered Germany’s busiest in terms of the volume of passengers. It is also the primary hub for the country’s flagship Lufthansa carrier.

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