Less than a month ago 150 scientists, doctors and medical experts from all over the world sent a letter to the World Health Organization (WHO) stating that the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro should be moved or postponed due to an outbreak of the mosquito-borne Zika Virus.
The WHO’s response can be summed up with one word. Well, it’s more a sound. That sound: “Pbbfffft”.
The International Olympic Committer (IOC) had a similar response, basically pointing their collective thumbs at the 150 medical professionals and rolling their eyes. Maybe a few of them mumbled, “These guys over here” while shaking their heads.
Scientists say the Rio Olympics should be postponed due to Zika https://t.co/U9kAqf8PCx pic.twitter.com/gaTbrTwqf2
— Forbes (@Forbes) June 11, 2016
Zika has been running rampant across Central and South America this year. Back in April Brazil’s own health ministry recorded 91,387 cases of the sickness and 4,908 babies born with Zika-linked birth defects. Zika, in a healthy adult, produces a mild illness with symptoms like a fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis. The real danger of Zika is with pregnant women as it can cause microcephaly or other birth defects in their unborn babies.
In their letter to the WHO, the experts said:
“The Brazilian strain of Zika virus harms health in ways that science has not observed before. An unnecessary risk is posed when 500,000 foreign tourists from all countries attend the Games, potentially acquire that strain, and return home to places where it can become endemic.”
The letter also made mention of the potential conflict of interest between the WHO and the IOC, as they are “partners.”
While the WHO declared Zika a “Global Health Emergency” they felt no urge at all to recommend cancelling or moving the Olympics, releasing their own statement:
“People continue to travel between these countries and territories for a variety of reasons. The best way to reduce risk of disease is to follow public health travel advice.”
To be fair, the head of the United States Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Dr. Tom Frieden, also said there’s “no public health reason to delay the Olympics.”
Why Zika is no reason to cancel the Olympics: https://t.co/dVVFEdQDDo pic.twitter.com/R30m1X5PQu
— WIRED (@WIRED) June 15, 2016
But if you thought it was just Zika and mosquitoes that were the problem, think again. A little over a week ago two as yet unpublished studies came to light that Brazil’s beaches were infested with a drug-resistant super bacteria. According to Reuters, the bacteria is present at Rio’s most popular tourist beaches. It’s also present at locations that will host Olympic swimming, boating and rowing events.
This Super Bacteria can cause meningitis along with urinary, gastrointestinal, pulmonary and bloodstream infections. According to the CDC, half the people infected with the disease die. So, you know, that’s bad.
Rio Federal University professor Renata Picao blamed the presence of the bacteria on poor sanitation.
“These bacteria should not be present in these waters,” Picao said. “They should not be present int he sea.”
Super bacteria found in Rio's waterways ahead of Olympicshttps://t.co/bait9inAZO pic.twitter.com/hxePenEYW1
— TRT World (@trtworld) June 12, 2016
Oh, and the acting governor of Rio, Francisco Dornelles, declared a state of financial disaster in the city just two days ago. This “disaster” according to Dornells, was “stopping the state of Rio de Janeiro from honoring its commitment to the organization of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The financial crisis has brought several difficulties in essential public services and it could case the total collapse of public security, health care, education, urban mobility and environmental management.”
If the public health problems and infrastructure issues weren’t bad enough, the political situation in Brazil has completely gone down the toilet. Back in December the legislature voted to impeach their own president, Dilma Rousseff, for misuses federal funds and illegal campaign contributions. She’s currently on trial and will be for the next half year, all the way through the Olympics and beyond.
The Olympics are about a month and a half away. Rio has committed to pay for state police during the games and paying for any construction needed for the Olympic Park. This is the first Olympic Games ever held in South America. Brazil’s ineptitude at actually holding the games has probably made it the last for a good, long while, regardless of what Simon Le Bon thinks about it.
