The World Health Organization's [WHO] Emergency Committee on Zika is meeting early next week to consider new evidence and review its recommendations, including the Rio Olympics, a WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier said on Tuesday.
The group of independent experts, who declared an international emergency on Feb. 1 and last convened on March 8, will "look at evidence around the Olympics and most likely review the travel guidance around that,"
The WHO rejected a call by more than 100 scientists for the Rio Games, to be moved or postponed due to the threat from the Zika outbreak.
The mosquito-borne virus is linked to microcephaly, a rare birth defect characterised by an unusually small head size and potentially severe developmental problems.
"Experts from a range of disciplines will present research and other information relevant to the outbreak, including what has been learned so far about microcephaly, other neonatal malformations, and neurological disorders such as Guillain-Barre syndrome," it said.
New research attempting to calculate the risk of the Zika virus at the Brazil-hosted Olympics has been released by PR advisors in an attempt reassure national organizers and many of the more than 500,000 athletes and fans expected to travel to the country at the epicentre of the epidemic. An international 'army' of sex workers are also expected to descent on the Olympics venue fuelling fears that Zika virus may well be rapidly transmitted to countrys other than the host, as the symptoms take some two weeks to present themselves.
Dr. David Heymann, chair of the Health Protection Agency in Britain and leader of the WHO panel, told Reuters last week that postponing the Rio Olympics due to fears that the event could speed the spread of the virus would create a false sense of security, because travellers are constantly going in and out of Brazil.
Scientists are telling the WHO that the risk of global spread of the virus is "not significantly higher" as a consequence of the Games, Lindmeier said.
"Of course there is a lot of international concern out there, there is a lot of personal concern out there because it's a new disease," he said. "And the best way for us to react to emotional concerns is to look at our deep science and to give clear guidance as good as we can."
The WHO said last week that people returning from Zika-infected areas should follow safe sex practices or abstain from sex for at least eight weeks rather than just four.
JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581 Aviation Expert, Journalist & Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 www.aviationcomment.com
The group of independent experts, who declared an international emergency on Feb. 1 and last convened on March 8, will "look at evidence around the Olympics and most likely review the travel guidance around that,"
The WHO rejected a call by more than 100 scientists for the Rio Games, to be moved or postponed due to the threat from the Zika outbreak.
The mosquito-borne virus is linked to microcephaly, a rare birth defect characterised by an unusually small head size and potentially severe developmental problems.
"Experts from a range of disciplines will present research and other information relevant to the outbreak, including what has been learned so far about microcephaly, other neonatal malformations, and neurological disorders such as Guillain-Barre syndrome," it said.
New research attempting to calculate the risk of the Zika virus at the Brazil-hosted Olympics has been released by PR advisors in an attempt reassure national organizers and many of the more than 500,000 athletes and fans expected to travel to the country at the epicentre of the epidemic. An international 'army' of sex workers are also expected to descent on the Olympics venue fuelling fears that Zika virus may well be rapidly transmitted to countrys other than the host, as the symptoms take some two weeks to present themselves.
Dr. David Heymann, chair of the Health Protection Agency in Britain and leader of the WHO panel, told Reuters last week that postponing the Rio Olympics due to fears that the event could speed the spread of the virus would create a false sense of security, because travellers are constantly going in and out of Brazil.
Scientists are telling the WHO that the risk of global spread of the virus is "not significantly higher" as a consequence of the Games, Lindmeier said.
"Of course there is a lot of international concern out there, there is a lot of personal concern out there because it's a new disease," he said. "And the best way for us to react to emotional concerns is to look at our deep science and to give clear guidance as good as we can."
The WHO said last week that people returning from Zika-infected areas should follow safe sex practices or abstain from sex for at least eight weeks rather than just four.
JULIAN BRAY +44(0)1733 345581 Aviation Expert, Journalist & Broadcaster, Aviation Security & Airline Operations Expert, Travel / Maritime & Cruise Industry, NUJ, EQUITY, LIVE ISDN LINK, Broadcast ISDN COOBE ++44 (0)1733 345020 e&oe Old faithful NOKIA: 07944 217476 www.aviationcomment.com
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