Six employees at Frankfurt Airport in Germany contracted malaria, and one of them died, after mosquitoes believed to have arrived on a flight from a malaria-affected region were found to be linked to the cases, according to local media.
The five other affected employees are receiving treatment. Germany’s Robert Koch Institute linked the cases reported in August to the airport premises.
Health authorities said human-to-human transmission does not play a role in these airport-related malaria cases, and urged airport workers who develop symptoms to seek medical attention.
Malaria is transmitted by infected Anopheles mosquitoes. The World Health Organization warns that the disease can be fatal if it is not treated.
The cases have also raised questions about the effectiveness of aircraft disinfection procedures, particularly for flights arriving from areas where malaria is present.
