American Expatriate Costa Rica

WHO has little resources to fight Zika

The World Health Organization (WHO) has receives less than 13 percent of the required funding to combat the Zika epidemic and stop the virus from spreading.

However, according to Nyka Alexander, WHO’s spokesman, this lack of funding will not have a major impact on the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro this summer.

The organization rejected a petition made by 150 doctors to change the date or location of the games, since it considered that postponing the games would not change radically the risk of spreading the virus in the world, but encouraged athletes and visitors to take precautions against mosquitos.

In addition, the organization advised pregnant women, or those currently considering having a baby, to avoid Brazil, since the virus can cause microcephaly in the fetus, as well as neurological diseases in adults, such as Guillain-Barré syndrome.

crhoy.com