WHO seeks to allay Zika Olympics fears

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The Rio Olympics take place in August this year

The World Health Organization (WHO) says it has moved to tackle the Zika virus, amid calls for the Rio Olympics to be postponed over the outbreak.

The WHO’s Bruce Aylward told the BBC risk assessment plans were in place.

He admitted that the WHO could “do a better job” at communicating what was being done, but reiterated that there was no need to postpone the Games.

In an open letter, 152 scientists said new findings about Zika made it “unethical” for them to go ahead.

They also said the global health body should revisit its Zika guidance.

The Zika virus is linked to severe birth defects.

Between February and April, Brazil registered more than 90,000 likely cases of Zika. The number of babies born with Zika-linked defects stood at 4,908 in April.

Dr Aylward, who heads the WHO’s emergency programme, told the BBC that it was already carrying out a risk-assessment programme “about this disease and the risks it poses both to individuals who get and those who might be subsequently exposed”.

In addition, he said, independent experts had reported to the WHO on the implications of the outbreak for travel and trade.

“Those are two of the exact measures that that group has asked for and that is exactly what is being done, and clearly we need to have better communicated that.”

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has said it sees no reason to delay or move the Games because of the mosquito-borne disease.

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