Malaria was detected in six employees at Germany's Frankfurt Airport. Two employees died due to Malaria tropica (Plasmodium falciparum), one of the most dangerous types of malaria.

A total of six employees working at the airport were diagnosed with malaria. The first death occurred at the beginning of July, while the second employee passed away in August. The health condition of the other four employees was reported to be good after their treatments.

According to a statement from the Frankfurt Health Department, none of the affected employees had traveled to countries where malaria is prevalent. Therefore, the cases are believed to be linked to a rare form of transmission known as 'airport malaria'.

German authorities believe the source of the disease is likely an infected Anopheles mosquito transported to Frankfurt by plane from a malaria-endemic region. The Robert Koch Institute (RKI) noted that the mosquito might have arrived in Germany in the cargo or baggage compartment of an aircraft. It is thought that the infected mosquito may have bitten employees at or near the airport.

Mosquito traps have been placed at Frankfurt Airport to identify the potential source of transmission. It was reported that the captured mosquitoes would be examined in a laboratory to determine their species and possible origins.

Peter Tinnemann, director of the Frankfurt Health Department, stated that human-to-human transmission of the disease is not expected following these cases. Authorities assess the risk to the general public in Frankfurt as very low at this stage. The RKI also stated that airport malaria is an extremely rare form of transmission. It was also reported that the previous documented case of airport malaria in Germany occurred in 2023, also at Frankfurt Airport.

The cases are stated to be linked to malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum, also known as Malaria tropica. This type is considered one of the most dangerous forms of malaria due to its potential for severe progression and fatality if left untreated.