Two workers at Frankfurt Airport in Germany have died from malaria following a rare outbreak that infected six employees.
German health authorities said the outbreak, first detected in July, was suspected to have been caused by infected mosquitoes transported into the country aboard an aircraft believed to have arrived from Africa.
The affected workers were men employed in different positions and working in separate sections of the airport.
Frankfurt airport operator Fraport initially confirmed the death of one employee, while local public health authorities later reported that a second worker had died.
Authorities have installed mosquito traps around Frankfurt Airport, with captured insects being examined in laboratories to determine their species and possible origin.
Blood samples from the affected workers are also being analysed to establish whether the infections were linked to one mosquito or multiple mosquitoes.
Frankfurt public health officials said the risk to the wider population remains extremely low.
“For the population of Frankfurt, the risk is considered very, very low. The disease is not transmissible from person to person but is always transmitted by mosquitoes,” they said.
Officials added that laboratory investigations could take several weeks.
Germany’s Robert Koch Institute had previously reported that four airport employees became ill between July 4 and 6, with the mosquitoes suspected to have entered the country aboard an aircraft.
Malaria cases in Germany are typically linked to travellers returning from countries where the disease is endemic, making local transmission at an airport exceptionally rare.
Health authorities warned that cases involving patients without a recent travel history could be more difficult to diagnose, potentially increasing the risk of severe illness.
Frankfurt Airport previously recorded an airport acquired malaria case in 2023.
Malaria is caused by parasites transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes. According to the World Health Organization, the disease is predominantly found in tropical regions.
Although malaria is preventable and curable, it can lead to serious and potentially fatal complications if not treated promptly.
