The World Cup Is Bringing Millions to the U.S. Should You Worry About Infectious Diseases?

Summary: Millions of fans are heading to the U.S. for the World Cup, bringing concerns about infectious diseases. While scary viruses like Ebola and Hantavirus are making headlines, experts say the risk for those is actually very low. The real threats are everyday respiratory bugs like the flu, RSV, and COVID, especially since fans are traveling from the southern hemisphere where it is currently winter.

To stay safe in crowded stadiums, doctors say you should wash your hands with soap and water—both before and after using the restroom! Also, watch out for germ-covered surfaces like handrails. To help keep everyone safe, health officials are even testing the wastewater (yes, the sewage!) to track disease outbreaks in real-time.

For more details, see TIME at time.com/article/2026/06/12/world-cup-infectious-diseases/ (opens in new tab)