Spread Of Zika Virus Leads To WHO Declaring Public Health Emergency

Due to the ‘explosive spreading’ of the Zika virus throughout Latin America, where reported cases number in the four million range this year alone,  the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a public health state of emergency.

The Zika virus, carried via the same mosquitoes known to have spread dengue fever, has proven especially dangerous to pregnant women, as it is known to cause microcephaly in newborns. Microcephaly is blamed for causing brain damage, as well as babies being born with abnormally small heads.

WHO Chief Margaret Chan says that “a causal relationship between the Zika infection during pregnancy and microcephaly is strongly suspected, though not scientifically proven.” However, she adds that the marked increase of microcephaly case indeed represents an extraordinary event that requires a coordinated response.

In Chan’s words, “I am now declaring that the recent cluster of microcephaly and other neurological abnormalities reported in Latin America following a similar cluster in French Polynesia in 2014 constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.”

In terms of what this means to spectators and athletes in light of the fact that the Olympic Games’ Open Ceremonies are now 6 months away, Brazilian President Chief of Staff Jacque Wagner states, “I understand that no one needs to be afraid if you are not pregnant.”

Wagner makes the delineation in risk factors by saying, “The risk, which I would say is serious, is for pregnant women. It is clearly not advisable for you (to travel to the Games) because you don’t want to take that risk.” He made it clear there is no travel ban and also points out that the Games are slated to take place during Brazil’s winter when it is not known to be the breeding time for mosquitoes.

Dr. Joao Grangeiro, Medical Director for Rio, also expresses his assurances that athletes will not be affected. “Athletes should come to the Olympic Games”, says Grangeiro.

He continued, “Athletes are not at risk. We will not have an epidemic or pandemic situation. We can’t say we won’t have any cases [during the Games], but we see this as a minimal risk.”

Rio’s City Health Secretary Daniel Soranz concurred, indicating that the mosquitoes in the vicinity of the Olympic Park are not the specific type (Aedes) that are known to transmit Zika. Soranz also confirmed that officials “have routine daily actions in the area in order to diminish the number of mosquitoes.”

But with the budget situation looming over Rio 2016 where organizers have had to slash the volunteer force and cut costs by reducing seating at various venues, how does Rio 2016 Committee Spokesman Mario Andrada fund programs to kill the virus-bearing mosquitoes?

“In this case the most important thing to do is obviously to care for those who have been infected and to prevent new infections, and not to worry if we have budget or not,” Andrada said. Without specifying costs or how money would be acquired or redistributed, Andrada continued, “We have the funds that we need to do the work that we have to do.”

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach issued a statement while on site at the University of California inspecting LA2024 bid venues. “We welcome this decision by the World Health Organization because it helps raise even more awareness and to provide even more resources to fight the virus,” Bach says.

“We are in close contact with the WHO and we see also that so far there is no travel ban being pronounced by the WHO. We also see that the Olympic Games will be taking place in the winter time which is not the preferred breeding time for the mosquitoes.”

And how do athletes feel about a public health emergency being declared 6 months out from the most important competition of careers? Aussie sprint stud James Magnussen told ABC that he and his squad had been briefed via email and see no major concern at this time.

Magnussen said, “I think there’s always challenges with big international competitions and an event like the Olympics. They had fears when the World Cup was held there a couple of years ago, so I’m sure it’ll all pan out alright.”

Christophe Dubi, the IOC Executive Director of the Olypmic Games also points to health concerns as being nothing new heading into a big competition. The Olympics in 2008 had to deal with the SARS virus prior to the Games, as the 2014 Summer Youth Games in Nanjing, China also worked through Ebola concerns.

“It is not unusual, not comfortable obviously, but at the same time there’s a very good response from the Brazilian authorities,” he said,

There is no specific treatment for those infected with the Zika virus, whose symptoms include rashes, joint pain, conjunctivitis and fevers.