Brazil’s tourism leaders have taken a firm stand and stressed that they’re not even going to consider postponing this year’s Olympics, despite increasing fears over the Zika virus.
In a statement from Embratur, the Brazilian Tourism Board said there are no discussions of the possibility to postpone or cancel the 2016 Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games because “there is no reason to delay” them.
They said they, along with other Brazilian government agencies, are guided by the recommendations of the World Health Organisation (WHO), which said in May that a change in the Games due to illness “does not alter the spread of the virus”.
According to the organisation’s findings, during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, only three foreign tourists out of the 700,000 visitors contracted dengue fever (transmitted by the same mosquito that spreads the Zika virus).
Based on this research, they determined that the chances of international visitors contracting Zika is “very remote”.
“In addition, it is actually winter in Brazil during the period of the event, which is historically the time of year with the lowest incidence of mosquito-borne diseases.”
Embratur
Embratur’s estimate is that between 300 and 500 thousand international visitors will come to Brazil for the Olympics and Paralympics.
Preventive measures that are still being recommended are intended to reduce the presence of mosquitoes that transmit the disease. Practical guidelines include: using mosquito repellents, keep doors and windows closed or screened, wear pants and long sleeve shirt. WHO maintains its determination not to recommend restrictive measures for travel and international trade, with the exception to pregnant women, who should be advised not to travel to areas affected by the outbreak of Zika.
The 2016 Olympics and Paralympics will run in August and September this year.
