The country of Kenya is the latest nation to publicly voice its concerns over the growing spread of the Zika virus within the boundaries of the 2016 Olympic Games site.
Zika, the infection 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.
Kenya’s Head of its Olympics Committee has reportedly threatened to pull athletes out of the Olympics if Zika in fact reaches “epidemic levels”. Said Kipchoge Keino, “Obviously, we are not going to risk taking Kenyans there if this Zika Virus reaches epidemic levels. They have to assure us that the country is safe enough to take athletes there,” Keino told the agency.”
Keino continued in his statement, “We have made it clear that unless they clean the venues of this potentially dangerous disease, we will not go there. But if they assure us that things are in order and there is no risk to participants, mothers, we will go.”
The statement is coming just days after the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) reportedly told its athletes via conference call “No one should go to Brazil if they don’t feel comfortable going,” – a statement the USOC has publicly denied making.
Although far from being a swimming powerhouse, Kenya does have several athletes in the middle and long distance running world who would be medal-contending threats.
Brazil maintains that organizers have no intention of canceling the Games, with Dr. Joao Grangeiro, Medical Director for Rio, expressing his assurances that athletes will not be affected by Zika during the competition. “Athletes should come to the Olympic Games. 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,” he says.
As for the World Health Organization’s current stance on the Zika virus, the outfit released several statements via Twitter earlier today. They read as follows:
WHO is currently mapping existing R&D for #Zika in order to prioritize medical products & approaches that shld be fast-tracked into dvlpmnt
— WHO (@WHO) February 9, 2016
As of today, most research that could be useful for #ZikaVirus has been carried out on other flaviviruses – such as dengue or yellow fever
— WHO (@WHO) February 9, 2016
WHO Situation Report on #ZikaVirus, #microcephaly & other neurological syndrome https://t.co/ntkvE4DUBl (5 Feb 2016) pic.twitter.com/U7TrHLSzSx
— WHO (@WHO) February 5, 2016
The WHO also published its most recent ‘Situation Report‘ on Zika, which further supports the link between Zika infection during pregnancy and microcephaly. A total of 33 countries have reported cases of Zika, with the geographical distribution steadily increasing. “The global prevention and control strategy launched by WHO is based on surveillance, response activities and research,” reads the report.
Another debate or subject to fear.
Fear. Fear. Fear. Always fear.
And at the end, everyone knows that these olympic games will take place and will be a success. I make the bet.
Of course organisers have no intention of cancelling the Games. Of course they don’t. Rio has come too far to back out now. Too much money has gone into the Games. Too many people have questioned whether Rio was fit to host, whether Rio would be ready in time, whether it was a good idea. They cannot back out now. It would be a complete disaster for Brazil and Rio – all that money going to waste, civilians bearing the brunt of the bill, that huge influx of Olympic tourism gone, all the promises made by the politicians… The IOC will also not cancel. How many times has the IOC told us all that Rio would be complete? Too many… Read more »