The risk of getting the Zika virus will be low at the summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August, a panel of experts with the World Health Organization found.
The statement from the WHO’s Emergency Committee Thursday comes as more athletes and tourists have stated concerns about the Zika virus, which is spreading in Rio de Janeiro. Experts have said the virus causes a birth defect called microcephaly.
The committee reviewed information provided by Brazil and WHO advisers about the spread of infectious diseases. The experts said “there is very low risk of further international spread of [the] Zika virus” because the games, which start Aug. 5, will be held during Brazil’s winter months.
The statement added that an intensifying of mosquito control measures in and around the games’ venues should help. The virus is spread primarily by mosquito bites.
The news comes about a week after NBC “Today Show” host Savannah Guthrie announced she wouldn’t be attending the games because she is pregnant.
Top U.S. cyclist Teejay Van Garderen said he will not compete because his wife is pregnant and he doesn’t want to take the risk, the first athlete to pull out of the games. Other athletes have expressed trepidation at going. Women’s soccer goalkeeper Hope Solo said a few months ago that she wouldn’t want to go due to Zika but has since said she would attend the games.
More than 1 million cases of Zika have been found in Brazil in the outbreak.
In the U.S., almost 700 cases have been found in the continental U.S., but almost all are from people who came from countries where the virus is spreading via mosquitoes. So far the virus isn’t spread through mosquitoes on the mainland.
