Frankfurt Airport Malaria Outbreak Kills 2 Employees After 6 Infections
Updated
Updated · DW (English) · Aug 26
Frankfurt Airport Malaria Outbreak Kills 2 Employees After 6 Infections
3 articles · Updated · DW (English) · Aug 26
Summary
Two Frankfurt Airport employees died after contracting malaria in a rare airport-linked outbreak, with the first death in July and the second in August.
Six employees were infected despite not traveling to malaria-risk countries, and German health authorities believe an infected Anopheles mosquito arrived on an aircraft between July 4 and 6.
Four other infected workers are recovering, while Fraport has told staff to seek medical care if symptoms appear and installed mosquito traps at the airport.
Genetic analysis of trapped mosquitoes is underway in Antwerp to identify the species and origin, though Frankfurt's health authority said the likely carrier mosquito is probably already dead.
Officials said there is no person-to-person spread and the risk to Frankfurt residents is negligible; the last documented airport-malaria case there was in 2023.