The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends that pregnant women should reconsider attending the 2016 Rio Olympics. Health officials in the U.S. said the preventive measure is necessary to help reduce the cases of microcephaly in newborn babies.
According to The New York Times, the CDC outed a new travel advisory over the weekend stating that pregnant women or those who are trying to become pregnant would avoid a potential health risk by skipping this year's Summer Games.
The agency reminded that Zika is a "dynamic" virus. Not only does it cause flu-like symptoms but it is also linked to brain damage in infants whose mothers have contracted the infection.
The CDC said that pregnant women who would be traveling to Brazil should first consult their doctors. Additionally, they must take precautionary steps to deter the Aedes aegypti mosquito. Health officials are heavily promoting the use of effective insect repellents, adequate clothing and air-conditioned rooms.
The national Olympic committees of Australia and New Zealand have already issued a similar warning in January. Both agencies stressed that they won't punish athletes who would skip the 2016 Rio Olympics due to the Zika epidemic in Brazil, as per Reuters.
"If any athletes on the team felt they didn't want to go, we would absolutely support them on that," explained a representative from New Zealand. A spokesperson from Australia said the country's Olympic committee would "totally understand" if an athlete decided not to go.
George Hilton, Brazil's overall sports director, told NY Daily News that everything is set for this year's Summer Games. It will no longer be moved nor postponed. He said the International Olympic Committee and the Brazilian government is working diligently to guarantee the safety of all who attend the grand sporting event.
Brazil will be welcoming an estimate of 500,000 people for the 2016 Rio Olympics. The international medical community is worried that the outpouring of visitors would greatly contribute to the global spreading of the Zika virus.
