Third person dies after mosquito is reportedly trapped on plane to Germany in ‘airport malaria’ phenomenon

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Three people have died from malaria after a mosquito was transported aboard a flightto Germany, according to reports.

Several people were rushed to a hospital amid a rare outbreak of the tropical disease following flights to Frankfurt,The Sunreported.

It was unclear where the flights departed from.

The third person, a resident of Schwanheim, just north of the airport, died recently.In August, anairport workeralso died from the disease.Neither had traveled to a malaria-endemic region.

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Lufthansa Airbus A320 parked at Remote Stand V143 at Frankfurt Airport terminal.

A Lufthansa Airbus A320 sits at Remote Stand V143 at Frankfurt Airport in Kelsterbach, Frankfurt am Main, Hesse.Frankfurt Airport is Germany’s main international airport by passenger numbers and is operated by Fraport as the main hub for Lufthansa.(Getty Images)

Another German resident also came down with malaria, which can only be contracted from the bite of an infected mosquito and cannot be spread from human to human.

“Both individuals had become infected with the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium falciparum, even though they had not traveled to a malaria-endemic region and had not worked at the airport,” city officials said.

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The terrifying phenomenon, known as “airport malaria,” occurs when an infected mosquito becomes trapped aboard a plane or inside luggage, is carried to a malaria-free area and bites someone locally.

Three people have died after a mosquito became trapped on a plane to Frankfurt, Germany, officials there said.(iStock)

In July, airport officials set traps around the property to contain themalaria outbreak, The Sun reported.

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Germany’s Robert Koch Institute, the agency responsible for disease control and public health, said airport workers became ill aftercontracting malariabetween July 4 and July 6.

In total, six employees contracted the disease, according to Fraport, the firm that operates Frankfurt Airport,The Expressreported.