Rio Olympics to go on despite Zika virus concerns-WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has dismissed reports that the Rio Olympics should be moved to a later date or called off due to growing concerns of zika virus.

Last week, 150 public health experts penned a letter to the organisation warning that the risk of infection from the virus – which has links to birth defects and brain abnormalities in babies – was too great for the event to be held safely.

Despite the letter’s claims that allowing the Games to proceed would “pose an unnecessary risk to 500,000 foreign tourists”, the WHO said hosting the event in the Brazilian city as scheduled would “not significantly alter the international spread of the Zika virus”