As of now, the pool cover and air conditioning for the Olympic warm up pool are officially ready for the Rio Olympics. The photo below, courtesy of Rio 2016/Miriam Jeske, shows the outdoor warm up pool before they placed the enclosure. SwimSwam will update with a picture of the warm up pool with the cover as soon as a photo becomes available.
After the Maria Lenk Trophy served as a test event for the 2016 Games, it was determined that the outdoor warmup pool had issues with mosquito infestation. The concern about the mosquitoes has been alarming, as the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a public health emergency in Brazil and Latin America surrounding the Zika virus, which is primarily spread by mosquitoes.
There are no current treatments for the Zika virus, which may cause some athletes to worry about their health at the Games. Those who are infected with the virus may experience fevers, muscle and joint pain, rashes, headaches, and conjunctivitis. It may also be concerning to the families of some athletes who will travel to the meet as spectators, particularly pregnant women. The Zika virus may cause microcephaly in newborns, leading to birth defects and brain damage.
The new cover around the warm up pool should relieve the athletes of some of their concern, as it will help to keep mosquitoes out of the area.
