Two Frankfurt Airport workers have died after contracting malaria in a rare airport-linked outbreak that infected six employees in total. Health officials in Germany believe the parasite was carried in by a mosquito, likely brought in on an aircraft, at the country’s busiest airport. The outbreak, centred on Frankfurt Airport and involving Fraport and local public health authorities, was first identified in July.
Four cases were initially confirmed before the total rose to six, with the two deaths later reported. The remaining four infected workers were recovering or had already received treatment. Mosquito traps were installed at the airport and captured specimens are due to be analysed in a laboratory to identify the species and track the source. The Robert Koch Institute said delayed diagnosis can raise the risk of severe illness and death.
Local malaria transmission at a German airport is extremely uncommon, and the last airport-related case in Germany was also at Frankfurt Airport in 2023. The exact timing of the two deaths has not been made clear, and investigators have yet to identify the precise mosquito source.