Two German airport workers die of malaria from mosquito on plane

Two employees at Germany's Frankfurt airport have died from malaria, with health authorities suspecting the infections were caused by a mosquito that arrived on an aircraft. Six workers in total were infected, and four are currently receiving hospital treatment.

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an imported Anopheles mosquito carried over by an aircraft was the likely cause.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany's center for disease control, identified an imported Anopheles mosquito, likely transported by an aircraft, as the probable source of the malaria outbreak. This incident highlights the rare but potential risks associated with air travel and disease transmission.

Malaria is caused by parasites transmitted through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. Symptoms can include nausea, headache, and severe fever and chills. While the disease causes hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa, effective treatments exist, and early diagnosis typically leads to full recovery. The rarity of such airport-based malaria outbreaks means diagnosis can sometimes be delayed, potentially leading to more severe symptoms.

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The other four infected employees were being treated in hospital.

Airport officials have installed mosquito traps at the facility as a precautionary measure. The Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, will analyze the malaria parasites found in the patients' blood samples to gather more information. Germany's last recorded airport-based malaria outbreak occurred in 2023.

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The rarity of the condition means diagnosis can be delayed, increasing the chances of severe symptoms.