Two workers at Frankfurt Airport in Germany have died after contracting malaria from a mosquito believed to have arrived on an aircraft.

Frankfurt health authorities confirmed the deaths on Wednesday.

Airport officials had earlier reported one death and said six employees had been infected.

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Imported Mosquito Suspected

Germany’s Robert Koch Institute said an imported Anopheles mosquito was the most likely source of the infections.

The mosquito is believed to have been carried into Germany on a plane.

The remaining infected employees are receiving treatment in hospital.

Authorities have also installed mosquito traps around the airport as part of efforts to identify any remaining insects.

Mosquitoes caught in the traps will be sent to the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium.

Scientists will carry out genetic tests to establish their possible origin.

Rare Cases can Delay Diagnosis

The Robert Kosh Institute said Germany’s last airport-related malaria outbreak was recorded in 2023.

Such cases are rare in the country. This can sometimes delay diagnosis and increase the risk of serious illness.

Malaria is caused by parasites transmitted through infected Anopheles mosquitoes.

Common symptoms include headaches, nausea, fever and chills.

The disease causes hundreds of thousands of deaths globally every year, with most fatalities recorded in sub-Saharan Africa.

Effective treatments are available. Patients diagnosed and treated early usually make a full recovery.