As they finalize their FIFA World Cup plans a month out from the international soccer tournament, Kansas City health departments are prioritizing preparations for the spread of infectious diseases and intense heat.
While it isn't respiratory illness season in the U.S., many World Cup visitors will travel from countries in the Southern Hemisphere where the flu and other illnesses are active, like Argentina, which has seen a dramatic increase in hantavirus cases in recent weeks.
Though the Argentinian national team will be based in Kansas City during the tournament, local health officials said there isn't an immediate risk for residents.
Hantavirus, a serious and often fatal respiratory illness, usually spreads through rodents, and does not spread well between people unless they are in close quarters for an extended period, like on a cruise ship. Earlier this month, a cluster of passengers aboard a cruise ship bound from Argentina, where the virus is endemic, to Cape Verde, tested positive for hantavirus.
There are between 15 and 50 hantavirus cases in the U.S. each year, and there are currently no confirmed cases in the area, according to the Kansas City Health Department.
Still, with so many potential health concerns on their plate for next month's event, Jackson County Public Health Deputy Director Ray Dlugolecki said his agency is trying to get ahead of any outbreak by increasing wastewater surveillance, which became a reliable tool to monitor outbreaks during the COVID pandemic.
"We want to detect those hidden signals of circulating disease within the community before they show up in the healthcare system," he said. "We have more sites across the region where we're sampling from, we have a wider swath of different pathogens that we're looking for."
Dlugolecki says they're relaying that information to hospitals so they can be prepared early. It's one of several steps counties are taking to reduce variables ahead of the competition.
From hand-washing to tornado sirens
In addition to the increased surveillance, counties are encouraging residents to set up appointments with their primary care providers to make sure they are in good health, especially if they plan to attend watch parties or games.
"We want people to make sure their vaccinations are up to date, that they are doing a really good job washing their hands, practicing basic food safety if you're at a party," said Johnson County Health Director Charlie Hunt. "And of course, if you're sick, it is really best to stay home."
Kelsey Neth, a spokesperson for Clay County Public Health Center, said that's all covered in a toolkit they are distributing to businesses, healthcare organizations, restaurants and residents. The kit was created in collaboration with health departments across the metro to keep everyone on the same page and under uniform messaging, Neth said.
The toolkit covers everything from infectious diseases to concerns more specific to Kansas City, like what people should do in a weather emergency — which could be especially important for international visitors who are not familiar with dangerous Midwestern weather.
"It even touches a little bit on tornado sirens and listening to authorities in those situations," Neth said.
Clay County is working to get materials translated for visiting fans, Neth said, a focus for many on the health front.
At the University of Kansas Health System, more iPads are available and more interpreters are being staffed in the emergency department to help reduce any language barriers. They also have ambulances equipped with translation software to help, should they need to transport visiting fans.
As the medical services provider for the World Cup in Kansas City, KU Health System will play a major role in ensuring counties have sufficient capacity to meet immediate event needs, on top of the usual summer patient load.
Andy Marshall, the emergency preparedness manager for the health system, said it's not dissimilar to a Chiefs game or a parade in terms of the additional staff, first aid space, and general scaling-up of protocol — something Kansas City has recent experience with.
Dr. Bryan Beaver, the KC 2026 health and medical lead for KU, said many emergency medical agencies are already adding first responder units ahead of the World Cup.
"Our goal for our residents who live here every day is that, even if somehow they didn't know the World Cup was going on, and they needed to call 911, they still wouldn't even know because it's not going to impact the care they receive or the time of response," Beaver said.
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