The US Olympic committee has told its sports federations that athletes and staff concerned for their health should consider not going to Rio.
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Sandusky said the USOC had held internal discussions with American sports leaders about the potential risks that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had identified with travel to Zika-infested areas.
U.S. Health officials say they are working hard to understand the Zika Virus. Should the United States not send athletes to the Summer Games, it would cause a great disruption because the USA took home the most medals at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.
The disease, which is carried by the same mosquito that produced dengue fever and chikungunya, is particularly unsafe pregnant women and is believed linked to microcephaly – a congenital condition that is characterized by newborns with unusually small heads and incomplete brain development.
Alan Ashley, the US Olympic Committee’s chief of sport performance, briefed the leaders of the federations.
Brock says pregnant women shouldn’t travel to tropical countries including Mexico, Costa Rica, Haiti, and a large part of South American. Agencies investigating the Zika outbreaks are finding increasing evidence linking Zika virus and microcephaly. “And, so absolutely, we could have someone who is infected on vacation”. “Athletes should come to the Olympic Games”.
“But at this point no athletes have indicated they intend to withdraw from the team”, she added.
The Zika virus primarily is transmitted through the bite of infected mosquitoes, according to the news release. Consistent and correct use of latex condoms reduces the risk of sexual transmission of many infections, including those caused by other viruses, the CDC notes.
Seven counties in Florida, including Osceola County, have 16 confirmed cases of the Zika virus.
“The great scare comes from all the data with respect to these birth defects, which are very dramatic”, said Dr. Stephen Prescott, a physician, medical researcher and Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation president.
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“I think our athletes are aware”, Anthony told Reuters. “But it has not become a mission critical issue yet”.
