Third person dies after mosquito is reportedly trapped on plane to Germany in 'airport malaria' phenomenon

Three individuals have died from malaria in Germany following a rare outbreak linked to an infected mosquito transported on a flight to Frankfurt. The disease, contracted from mosquito bites and not human-to-human transmission, affected airport workers and local residents who had not traveled to malaria-endemic regions. This phenomenon, known as "airport malaria," occurs when infected mosquitoes are carried to malaria-free areas. Six airport employees contracted malaria between July 4 and July 6, with traps being set to contain the outbreak.

A rare cluster of malaria cases, linked to air travel near Frankfurt Airport, has resulted in three deaths in Germany. Two residents of the Schwanheim district, who had not traveled to endemic regions or worked at the airport, recently contracted the Plasmodium falciparum parasite. Health authorities believe these individuals, along with six airport workers who previously fell ill with the dangerous malaria tropica in July (two of whom died), were infected by mosquitoes transported into Germany via aircraft or luggage. Frankfurt Airport operator Fraport has deployed mosquito traps to investigate the source of the outbreak. Local doctors have been alerted to consider malaria in patients presenting with fever.