New malaria cases in Frankfurt: Health department suspects airport mosquitoes

After several cases of malaria among employees at Frankfurt Airport, two residents of a nearby district fell ill with the infectious disease. Both people live in the Schwanheim district, which is in close proximity to the airport, as the Frankfurt health department announced. The two sick people are therefore receiving medical treatment.

“The infected people have not traveled abroad,” said the head of the health department, Peter Tinnemann. They didn't work at the airport either. Because of the proximity to the airport, so-called airport malaria can currently be assumed. Citizens should not worry, but should see a doctor if they have any unusual symptoms.

“This applies in particular to people who work or stay at or around Frankfurt Airport or live in close proximity to the airport,” said Tinnemann. In addition to fever, you could also experience chills, headaches, body aches and gastrointestinal complaints.

At the end of August, a total of six malaria cases were reported among airport employees. Two employees died from it - one at the beginning of July, the other in August. The cause of the infections was supposed to be mosquitoes from a malaria area that presumably came to Germany by plane.

As with the previous cases, the new diseases are malaria tropica - the most dangerous variant of the disease, explained the health department. Whether there is a connection with the already known cases is still being investigated.

According to Tinnemann, an infection like the one that has now occurred - among residents of an airport - has not been reported in Germany in recent decades.

According to the Foreign Office, malaria is a life-threatening disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes. It is said that it can be easily and completely treated if it is diagnosed early and treatment is initiated quickly.

The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) writes that “very rare” airport malaria occurs when an infectious mosquito is imported on a plane or luggage. The infection then occurs on the plane, in the airport or in its immediate surroundings.

The Frankfurt health department did not say whether the sick people were men or women. It is still being investigated how the two infections came about. However, it is assumed that the infection can be traced back to an infected mosquito. Malaria is not transmitted from person to person.

The Frankfurt Health Department has set up a hotline for citizens. This can be reached by phone at 069/212-30030. Hospital staff in Frankfurt should also be advised to consider the possibility of airport malaria in patients.