The newspaper indicated that health officials in the United States have been working for years on plans to prepare for the tournament, which is expected to attract visitors from more than 100 countries.
Although Ebola and Hantavirus have received recent media coverage, health experts stress that the most likely threats vary, and include measles, dengue fever, respiratory viruses such as influenza, RSV, and Covid-19, in addition to sexually transmitted diseases, with the possibility of an increase due to crowding in airports, hotels, stadiums, and transportation.
Measles
According to the Washington Post, measles is one of the diseases that most worries specialists, because it is transmitted through the air and remains in the place for up to two hours after the infected person leaves. It is also highly contagious among the unvaccinated, and one person may transmit the virus to hundreds during travel or presence in public places before his infection is discovered.
Experts point out that the resurgence of measles globally is linked to a decline in vaccination rates after the Corona pandemic, which makes any small cluster capable of causing a widespread and rapid outbreak.
Dengue fever and mosquito season
The newspaper also pointed out that cases of dengue fever have been recorded in Puerto Rico, with limited transmission observed within some US states, while the vector mosquitoes are present in several areas of the United States.
Concern increases because the tournament will be held during the peak mosquito season in host cities such as Miami, Houston, Dallas and Los Angeles, which may raise the risk of local transmission if visitors carrying the virus arrive. Respiratory viruses and Covid-19
In the same context, experts confirm that Covid-19 is no longer the concern it was previously, but monitoring will continue during the tournament, especially with summer waves of it recorded since 2019, in addition to monitoring influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, and other respiratory pathogens.
Ebola
The Washington Post points out that despite widespread media coverage, the risk of Ebola to the general population remains very low, because it is not easily transmitted except through direct contact with bodily fluids.
Previous experiences during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa showed that no spread linked to major international events was recorded, with some doctors warning that excessive media focus may affect the accuracy of the diagnosis.
According to the newspaper, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention expanded its efforts to monitor diseases within the host states, in cooperation with local health authorities, hospitals and emergency services, while enhancing training and rapid response capabilities. These efforts also focus on diseases that may be introduced from abroad, especially measles and dengue fever.
In Texas, which hosts the largest number of tournament matches, a 24-hour medical consultation system has been established that connects doctors with infectious disease experts, and includes a specialized team of 15 to 20 doctors to provide support to hospitals, medical teams and visitors when needed. (Sky News)
