Rio Olympics - Should you stay or should you go: What is the real risk of the Zika virus in Rio?

OTTAWA, July 25, 2016 /CNW/ - With an estimated 500,000 visitors and 15,000 athletes due to visit Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Summer Olympics, there has been a lot of talk about the danger the Zika virus poses to public health.

Some scientists have called for the Olympics to be postponed, high-profile athletes are skipping the Games and there have been reports that tourists are planning to stay away.

Are their fears justified, or, as the World Health Organization has publicly stated, should the Games go ahead as planned?

Dr. Brian Ward and Dr. Tom Hobman are two CIHR-funded researchers who are well acquainted with the Zika virus, including the threat it poses for athletes and visitors to the Rio Olympics.

Dr. Brian and Dr. Hobman are available to share their expertise on the topic.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is the Government of Canada's health research investment agency. CIHR's mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its translation into improved health, more effective health services and products, and a strengthened health care system for Canadians. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR provides leadership and support to more than 13,000 health researchers and trainees across Canada. www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca

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SOURCE Canadian Institutes of Health Research

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For further information: David Coulombe, Media Relations, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, 613-941-4563, [e-mail]