Third Malaria Death Reported Near Frankfurt Airport

German authorities have confirmed a third malaria death near Frankfurt Airport. The city of Frankfurt said on Thursday that one of two infected residents of the Schwanheim district, north of the airport, had died at the university hospital.

The patient was infected with the Plasmodium falciparum parasite despite having neither traveled to a malaria-endemic region nor worked at the airport. The case follows the deaths of two airport employees in August. Four other workers have recovered from the infection.

Because malaria is transmitted by mosquitoes rather than directly from person to person, authorities have described the cases as an extremely rare outbreak linked to air traffic.

In July and August, airport management sent captured mosquitoes to a specialized laboratory in Antwerp, Belgium, for testing. The results are not yet known.

Public health authorities are also considering requiring airlines to disinfect their aircraft.

(Reuters, max)