The public health team watching the World Cup

NPR | By Pien Huang,

Henry Larson, Sarah Robbins

Published June 21, 2026 at 5:13 PM EDT

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.

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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