In a late January conference call from U.S. Olympics Committee, officials recommended that athletes and staff concerned about potential exposure to Zika virus should consider skipping the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janerio, Brazil in August, according to Reuters.
Worries about the latest Zika virus epidemic originated in Brazil after thousands of babies born with microcephaly, a birth defect that can result in developmental disorders and is sometimes fatal, were linked to the mosquito-borne infection. In recent weeks, the CDC and the World Health Organization have issued travel alerts and warned pregnant mothers to avoid visiting countries where ongoing transmission of the infection has been reported, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, among others.
The USOC has not yet issued an official set of recommendations regarding travel to the summer Olympics in Brazil and ensured it will brief federation leaders on CDC and WHO recommendations as they are released, according to Reuters.