Malaria Outbreak at Frankfurt Airport

Two employees at Frankfurt Airport have died from a rare malaria outbreak this summer, which is believed to have resulted from a mosquito that arrived in Germany via an airplane, according to the airport’s operator.

Andreas Schopf, a spokesman for Fraport, the airport’s operator, mentioned in an email that since early July, six employees have contracted the disease, with four of them having since recovered. It’s not entirely clear when the fatalities occurred.

The infections are categorized as “airport malaria,” a term used when individuals are infected by mosquitoes transported by planes from regions where malaria is more common.

The Frankfurt Public Health Office has stated that there is no danger to the general public or staff working at the airport, as malaria is not transmitted through human contact but rather through bites from infected mosquitoes, according to Peter Tinnemann, the office’s director.

The source or sources of the mosquitoes responsible for this outbreak remain unknown.

To address the situation, mosquito traps have been installed at Frankfurt Airport. Schopf noted that any mosquitoes captured will be examined by the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, to identify their species and origins. He added that it’s most likely these mosquitoes were brought to Frankfurt by air travel.

The earliest symptoms among the infected individuals were observed in early July, while a sixth case emerged in mid-August, officials reported. Schopf emphasized that they are maintaining regular communication with relevant authorities to effectively manage and respond to the situation as needed.

This isn’t the first instance of malaria being detected at Frankfurt Airport. In 2019, two workers experienced severe cases, and in 2022, three employees were diagnosed with the disease. Nevertheless, officials noted that airport malaria remains quite rare.

Malaria is a disease transmitted by mosquitoes and is prevalent in many tropical and subtropical regions. It’s uncommon to find cases in areas outside of these regions. In the United States, malaria was largely eradicated by the early 1950s, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, approximately 2,000 individuals do contract malaria each year after traveling internationally.

Interestingly, after two decades without any reports of locally acquired malaria cases in the U.S., nine such cases were reported in 2023 across Arkansas, Florida, and Texas.