In The News: School of Public Health

UNLV’s School of Public Health wants to hear from Las Vegas valley residents about the mosquito problem in their neighborhood.

We’re surrounded by a wave of breakthroughs—AI-driven diagnostics, gene therapies, wearable tech and mRNA vaccines—ushering in what many hail as a golden era of medical progress. But as I’ve learned over years of working alongside policymakers, healthcare professionals, innovators and change-makers, there’s a sobering truth beneath the excitement: Innovation, no matter how transformative, remains a privilege unless it is funded, scaled and equitably distributed.

As Clark County’s mosquito population grows each summer, an increasing number of valley residents are reporting mosquito sightings in their neighborhoods.
Recently, in late August 2025, India enacted the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill as a law. This is a great public health victory exhibiting resolute political will against vested profit-making interests in favor of public health and is especially beneficial for the middle class, youth, and women of India. Such policies need to be formulated and implemented by all countries worldwide. India has taken this lead by sheer fortitude shown by the Prime Minister Modi's administration.

As summer winds down, researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, are looking into mosquito data. UNLV’s School of Public Health is asking individuals in the Las Vegas Valley to fill out a survey about bugs inhabiting neighborhoods in the area.

A travel advisory issued over the deadly chikungunya virus has been expanded as it continues to spread around the world. The virus, which is spread by the Aedes mosquito, can cause sudden, agonizing joint pain in the hands and feet that can be so severe it leaves sufferers unable to move normally for months.
India’s parliament has banned online gambling platforms. Of particular concern to the Indian tech industry is the hit to fantasy sports platforms, including popular, homegrown cricket apps. Manoj Sharma, a professor of social and behavioral health at the University of Nevada, tells The World’s Host Marco Werman how the ban gained momentum in the first place: Online gaming losses, he says, have devastated lives for many middle-class Indian families.
On August 22, India passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill.This is a bold move showing determined political will against vested interests in favor of public health and beneficial for the middle class and youth of the nation. This policy needs to be implemented by all countries around the world.
Planning to chill your drink using that hotel ice bucket? You might want to rethink it. Despite their apparent convenience, hotel ice buckets may pose a hidden health risk that many tourists overlook. ABC News tested hotel rooms for germs and found one thing in common: ice buckets, in both budget and luxury hotels, were packed with germs.
Mosquitoes are surprisingly taking over a region of Las Vegas, sparking concerns amongst experts in the area. The pesky bugs, known to spread diseases across the globe, are defying ecological odds by surviving in the desert climate, the experts have warned.
Tea (Camellia sinensis) leaves are used for drinking for their flavor. It is the same plant that is used for making black tea (e.g., Assam, Darjeeling, etc.), oolong green tea (Chinese tea), and Japanese green teas (Hojicha, Sencha, Gyokuru, & Matcha). In black tea, oxidation is used in processing the leaves, which are exposed to air, giving them a dark color and smoky flavor. Oolong green tea uses partial oxidation, in which leaves are withered for only a short period. In Japanese teas, oxidation is prevented, leaving them rich in antioxidants and thus making them more beneficial from a health perspective.

In the fight against substance misuse and overdose, one thing is clear: No one can do it alone. That’s the message behind an event at UNLV where experts, advocates and former addicts came together to share possible solutions.