Australia’s Olympic athletes will be given extra-protective condoms to guard them from the Zika virus at Rio 2016.
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The mayor of Rio de Janeiro, the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics, insisted that the spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus “is not a big issue” days after Brazilian researchers warned the disease has mutated into something “more risky”.
The Rio Olympic Village will be stocked with dispensing machines providing almost half a million regular condoms to athletes.
Ms Chan said Olympic athletes were getting advice from their national medical advisers, singling out Australia as one country that has issued “very positive” guidelines to its Olympics team. “Our association with Starpharma will provide extra protection for everyone in the team, and is a commonsense approach to a very serious problem we are facing in Rio”.
She told reporters that the World Health Organization is advising pregnant women not to travel to countries that are reporting Zika outbreaks. The first is the actual physical barrier of the condom, itself, and the second is an antiviral lubrication on the condom, Vivagel, created by Starpharma.
Reuters reports that the Australian Olympians would receive condoms that would ensure them twice the protection from the Zika virus in Brazil which has just been proven by scientists to cause birth defects.
“Pregnant women should avoid traveling to these places who are reporting local infection….”
The Defence Ministry is expected to deploy 38,000 troops for security during the Olympics to back 47,000 police and civil defence personnel to maintain security in Rio de Janeiro.
Zika virus infection is of particular concern during pregnancy. The virus particularly affects pregnant women and is passed on via mosquitos, from a man to his sex partners, or from a woman to her child during pregnancy or when giving birth. VivaGel also works to neutralize more common sexually transmitted viruses like HIV and herpes.
She said the agency was recommending that both Olympic athletes and travelers to Rio take measures to prevent being bitten by the mosquitoes that spread Zika.
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The AOC announced in February that Bushmans would be the official insect repellent supplier for the 2016 Australian Olympic Team, with products to protect all athletes and officials in Rio. It is now known that Zika virus can be sexually transmitted.
