USOC warns about Zika virus

The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) on Monday told Anadolu Agency that it has warned various sports federations about the ongoing Zika virus in Brazil before the Rio Olympic Games this summer.
"We are closely monitoring the situation through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and have ongoing contact with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organizing officials in Rio, the World Health Organization (WHO) and infectious disease specialists with expertise in tropical diseases, including the Zika virus," USOC spokesperson Patrick Sandusky said in a statement.
"Our sport staff briefed participants on the U.S. CDC's recommendations" and "we're taking steps to ensure that our delegation and those affiliated with Team USA are aware of the CDC's recommendations regarding travel to Brazil," he added.
According to the CDC, travelers to Brazil must be current on routine vaccinations, and may require additional vaccines, and they should take necessary precautions to protect against mosquitoes and bugs.
In a Jan. 29 letter, the IOC said it is closely monitoring the situation in Brazil, and is in close communication with the WHO and the Rio 2016 Organizing Committee.
The IOC said a plan is in place for the Olympic venues in the lead up to and at game times, "which will see them inspected on a daily basis in order to ensure that any puddles of stagnant water - where the mosquitos breed - are removed, therefore minimizing the risk of athletes and visitors coming into contact with mosquitos".
Brazil reported its first Zika case last May.
Although 80 percent of the cases do not result in any symptoms, WHO officials estimate that 1.5 million people have been infected in Brazil through the end of last month.
The disease, which is carried by the same mosquito that produced dengue fever and chikungunya, is particularly dangerous pregnant women and is believed linked to microcephaly – a congenital condition that is characterized by newborns with unusually small heads and incomplete brain development.