Two airport workers in Frankfurt, Germany, have reportedly died of malaria, with four others also contracting the serious infection from mosquitos believed to have been carried over on a plane. The outbreak was first detected in July, with public health officials now reporting two deaths from the anomaly.
Investigation into the Outbreak
German authorities are investigating the outbreak, capturing mosquitos at the airport and taking blood samples from the ill workers to determine whether a single mosquito caused the havoc or multiple pests have entered the country, according to the BBC.
Malaria is a potentially deadly infection spread by infected mosquitos, which are usually found in tropical areas like Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. The UK and Germany do not naturally have mosquitos that carry malaria, making cases in both countries quite rare.
Symptoms to Watch For
Symptoms of the deadly infection can take weeks to appear, meaning travellers can contract the disease while abroad but only begin to fall ill once they are back in the UK. The infection cannot be spread from person to person, but pregnant mothers can pass it on to their unborn babies, and needlestick injuries can also spread the disease.
Early malaria symptoms can mimic other common viruses like the flu. Because of this, the NHS warns: “Malaria can be hard to spot.”
Common malaria symptoms include:
- A high temperature, or feeling hot, cold or shivery
- Sweating
- Headaches and feeling confused
- Feeling very tired and sleepy (especially in children)
- Feeling and being sick, tummy pain and diarrhoea
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle pains
- Yellow whites of the eyes or skin (jaundice), although this may be less noticeable on brown or black skin
- A sore throat, cough and difficulty breathing
The NHS added: “These symptoms usually appear between 7 and 18 days after you've been bitten by an infected mosquito. But sometimes you may not have symptoms for months after travel, and rarely years.”
When to Seek Help and Treatment
If you have travelled to a malaria area in the last 12 months and start experiencing these symptoms, you must get an urgent GP appointment or call 111 for help. If you are still abroad when the symptoms start, get medical advice as soon as possible rather than waiting to get home.
Antimalarial medications can be administered in hospital, and some patients may need specialist care as well. Malaria can also come back after being treated, and patients will need to be treated again.
