Two Frankfurt Airport workers die of malaria and others infected after mosquitoes arrive on plane

Two Frankfurt Airport workers die of malaria and others infected after mosquitoes arrive on plane The infected mosquitoes are believed to have arrived on an aircraft before biting workers at the airport with six employees at Germany's busiest airport contracting the disease, and two tragically dying Two airport workers have died after a rare malaria outbreak believed to have been caused by infected mosquitoes arriving on a plane. Six male employees at Frankfurt Airport are said to have contracted the potentially deadly disease, with the cases detected across different roles and areas of Germany’s busiest airport. Health officials believe mosquitoes carrying malaria may have arrived on an aircraft before biting workers at the airport - an extremely rare phenomenon sometimes known as “airport malaria”. The outbreak was first detected in July, when four workers were reported to have fallen ill. The number of known cases has since risen to six. Frankfurt public health officials confirmed on Wednesday that two of those infected had died. Investigations are now under way to establish exactly how the workers became infected and whether the cases can be traced back to the same mosquito. Officials are analysing blood samples to determine whether the six workers were infected by one mosquito or six different mosquitoes, reports the BBC. Mosquito traps have since been installed around the airport, with any insects caught set to undergo laboratory testing to establish their species and origin. A spokesperson for airport operator Fraport told the BBC: “We have provided comprehensive information to all employees and encourage them to consult a doctor if they experience any symptoms.” Despite the deaths, officials have stressed that there is believed to be little danger to people living in the surrounding area. In a letter sent to media outlets, Frankfurt public health officials said: “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.” It said laboratory test to pinpoint the source of the infections could take several weeks. The Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s federal agency for disease control and public health, previously said the first four workers known to have been infected became ill between July 4 and 6 and the mosquitoes were believed to have been brought into the country by plane. Malaria cases in Germany almost exclusively involve long-haul travellers who have visited parts of the world where the disease is widespread, according to the institute, making transmission within a German airport rare. The institute said in its bulletin: “The lack of a travel history can lead to a delayed diagnosis. A delayed diagnosis increases the risk of a severe course of the diseases.” Malaria is caused by a parasite and is usually spread to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. Frankfurt Airport has experienced a suspected case of airport malaria before, with the institute recording another in 2023. According to the World Health Organization, the disease is most commonly found in tropical countries and is both preventable and curable, although some infections can become life-threatening. [Image text:] Lufthansa City FrankfurtAirport