A person living near Germany’s Frankfurt Airport has died from malaria infection amid a series of cases linked to the transport hub.

Frankfurt authorities, in a statement on Thursday, said one of two infected residents of the Schwanheim district north of the airport had died ⁠in the care of the city’s university hospital.

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

The latest development brought the number of malaria-related fatalities at the airport this year to three after two fatalities were recorded in July and August, respectively.

The airport operator, Fraport, said in August that five people were hospitalised after being bitten by an anopheles mosquito.

It added that one employee was confirmed dead.

“A total of six employees have contracted a form of malaria known as airport malaria in connection with their work at the airport. Sadly, we must confirm that one employee has died as a result of the infection,” the statement said.

The airport also advised employees to inform their doctor that they work at the airport and that cases of airport malaria have been reported at Frankfurt Airport, to help ensure they receive appropriate medical examination and treatment.

It added that mosquito traps had been deployed, and mosquitoes captured in the traps would be genetically analysed by the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium, to determine their species and origin.

Meanwhile, the Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s agency for disease control and prevention, said it was investigating cases of malaria reported at Frankfurt Airport.

“The lack of a travel history can lead to a delayed diagnosis. A delayed diagnosis increases the risk of a severe course of the disease,” the institute noted.