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The public health team watching the World Cup

NPR | By Pien Huang,
Henry Larson, Sarah Robbins
Published June 21, 2026 at 4:13 PM CDT

As millions gather for the World Cup, a scrappy public health operation led by a team at Georgetown is tracking disease threats using surveys, wastewater and online chatter to spot outbreaks early.

Copyright 2026 NPR
Pien Huang
Pien Huang is a health reporter on the Science desk. She was NPR's first Reflect America Fellow, working with shows, desks and podcasts to bring more diverse voices to air and online.
See stories by Pien Huang
Henry Larson
Sarah Robbins
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