The World Health Organization (WHO) is now recommending that women who wish to get pregnant wait a minimum of eight weeks before trying, if their partner has been to an area with confirmed Zika virus cases. Cyclist Tejay Van Garderen this week withdrew from consideration for the US team over concerns that the virus could present risks for his pregnant wife. But until early this year, there was only one known instance of sexual transmission of the Zika virus, a 2008 case in which researcher just back from Africa infected his wife in Colorado.
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Previously, only cases of pregnant women who had Zika-related symptoms or pregnancy complications were being tallied, CDC officials said.
“Given the current level of global concern, I have made a decision to ask members of the Zika Emergency Committee to examine the risks of holding the Olympic Summer Games as now scheduled”, Chan said in a Friday statement, as quoted by CBS.
“The Department has been providing information about the Zika virus and prevention of mosquito-borne illnesses to service members and their families through all available channels”, said Sakrisson, adding that military doctors brief families about “avoidance of unprotected sex and repellent use while in risk areas”.
She also pointed out that the risk Zika poses for some people, especially pregnant women, doesn’t apply to her.
Last week, a group of 150 health experts called for the Olympics to be postponed or relocated because of Zika.
The WHO chief said the experts were due to meet “shortly”, and vowed to post their advice online “immediately”.
Brazil has been severely affected by Zika, with nearly two million people infected, and Senator Shaheen has expressed concern an Olympics, featuring athletes and watched by spectators from around the world, could cause it to spread further afield.
No Olympic Games has ever been moved because of health concerns, but in 2003 Federation Internationale de Football Association moved the Women’s World Cup from China due to the respiratory virus Sars.
The U.S. gymnastics team will be officially determined after the upcoming trials in St. Louis later this month.
President of the agency, Paulo Gadelha suggested pregnant women avoid kissing people other than a regular partner or sharing cutlery, glasses and plates with people who have symptoms of the virus.
The World Health Organization responded to these concerns, starting ” cancelling or changing the location of the 2016 Olympics will not significantly alter the worldwide spread of Zika virus”.
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Health officials and some athletes have requested the Olympics be moved to another location, but the International Olympic Committee has remained firm in keeping the Olympics in Brazil. The connection first came to light a year ago in Brazil, which has confirmed more than 1,400 cases of microcephaly.
