A third person has died from malaria in connection with a rare outbreak of the disease near Frankfurt Airport, according to reports. The cases have been linked to infected mosquitoes that were reportedly transported aboard flights to Germany.
Several people were rushed to a hospital amid the outbreak following flights to Frankfurt, The Sun reported. It was unclear where the flights had departed from.
The third person, a resident of Schwanheim, just north of the airport, died recently. In August, an airport worker also died from the disease. Neither individual had traveled to a region where malaria is endemic.
What Is 'Airport Malaria'?
The phenomenon, known as “airport malaria,” occurs when an infected mosquito becomes trapped aboard a plane or inside luggage, is carried to a malaria-free area, and then bites someone locally. Malaria can only be contracted from the bite of an infected mosquito and cannot be spread from human to human.
In July, airport officials set traps around the property to contain the outbreak, according to The Sun.
Infections Confirmed in Airport Workers
Germany’s Robert Koch Institute, the agency responsible for disease control and public health, said airport workers became ill after contracting malaria between July 4 and July 6.
In total, six employees contracted the disease, according to Fraport, the firm that operates Frankfurt Airport, The Express reported.
City officials said both individuals had become infected with the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum, even though they had not traveled to a malaria-endemic region and had not worked at the airport.
“We have provided comprehensive information to all employees and encourage them to consult a doctor if they experience any symptoms,” Fraport said.
