'There is no need to postpone Rio Olympics'

The World Health Organization (WHO) has played down concerns over the spread of the Zika virus, amid calls for the Rio Olympics in August to be postponed.


The WHO's Bruce Aylward told the BBC risk assessment plans were in place.
He admitted that the WHO could "do a better job" at communicating what was being done, but reiterated that there was no need to postpone the Games.

In an open letter, 152 scientists said new findings about Zika made it "unethical" for them to go ahead.
They also said the global health body should revisit its Zika guidance.
The Zika virus is linked to severe birth defects.

Between February and April, Brazil registered more than 90,000 likely cases of Zika. The number of babies born with Zika-linked defects stood at 4,908 in April.

Dr Aylward, who heads the WHO's emergency programme, told the BBC that it was already carrying out a risk-assessment programme "about this disease and the risks it poses both to individuals who get and those who might be subsequently exposed".

In addition, he said, independent experts had reported to the WHO on the implications of the outbreak for travel and trade.

"Those are two of the exact measures that that group has asked for and that is exactly what is being done, and clearly we need to have better communicated that."











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