At the third meeting of the World Health Organization's Emergency Committee on the Zika virus, officials concluded there is very low risk of international Zika spread resulting from travel to Brazil for the Olympic Games.
In a statement on the meeting, committee members concluded, "There is a very low risk of further international spread of Zika virus as a result of the Olympic and Paralympic Games as Brazil will be hosting the games during the Brazilian winter when the intensity of autochthonous transmission of arboviruses, such as dengue and Zika viruses, will be minimal."
The statement went on to cite mosquito control measures being taken in and around Olympic venues as a sign that Zika transmission during the games will be minimal.
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These findings are in line with what two Brazilian research groups predicted earlier this month — that the Olympics would bring about no more than 15 or 16 Zika infections in foreign visitors. However, American experts have said the Olympics could raise the risk of international Zika spread.
At the meeting, the WHO maintained their recommendation that pregnant women should not travel to regions harboring ongoing outbreaks of Zika. Recently, the WHO issued guidance suggesting that couples living in areas where local Zika transmission is prevalent should consider delaying pregnancy for an unspecified length of time.
In February, the U.S. Olympic Committee told concerned athletes to skip the games if they were concerned about Zika virus exposure, which has been linked to microcephaly and other health conditions.
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Infographic: Where in the US have Zika cases been reported? [June 10 update]