London: The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday turned down calls for the forthcoming Olympics in Rio de Janerio to be postponed or moved from the crisis-ridden country in the wake of Zika outbreak.
Brazil has been most affected by the mosquito-borne virus that has spread rapidly through Latin America and the Caribbean. It is known to cause the head-shrinking microcephaly and other birth defects.
According to the Guardian, the United Nations health agency said that suspending the Olympics or staging them elsewhere would “not significantly alter” the spread of the virus.
In an open letter to the WHO, a total of 150 health experts had said that the current plans for the prestigious event need to be revised while citing growing scientific studies that revealed the adverse effects of the virus.
According to experts, the virus would proliferate to more countries as a result of an influx of Olympic visitors to Rio.
Earlier this month, the WHO had advised pregnant women to avoid travelling to Rio and urged athletes and visitors to wear body-covering clothing along with a slew of other precautionary measures. (ANI)