Rio health authorities confident Zika a low risk

A truck sprays insecticide near grounds workers at Olympic media accomodations as part of preventive measures against the Zika virus (Reuters)
A truck sprays insecticide near grounds workers at Olympic media accomodations as part of preventive measures against the Zika virus (Reuters)

Health authorities in Brazil say they're "pretty confident" they don't have a problem with Zika, but it's not the only potential health risk.

Of the hour-long press conference about healthcare during the Olympics, barely five minutes was dedicated to the Zika virus.

The Health Secretary says that's simply because for most people, the risk is now extremely low.

"We are pretty confident that we don't have a problem with Zika, but we have to keep in mind pregnant women," says Hellen Miyamoto.

But the threat Zika may have derailed the Games earlier this year means the mosquito-borne illness is still a touchy subject for Olympic planners.

A team from the Red Cross had come to a press conference armed with insect repellent kits to give journalists and in the hope they could give a press conference too. They weren't allowed.

"During the Olympics it's not the main interest to talk about something that can scare people coming to the Olympics or people interested in coming to Brazil, and that's totally understandable, but we still don't know the reasons for not distributing the kits," says the Red Cross' Monica Pasado.

There are other scenes health authorities would rather focus on, like fishermen out on the Olympic rowing lagoon, where a little over a year ago 33 tonnes of dead fish were scooped up. The water is being tested three times daily.

In the past year many athletes have been using the area and there have been no reports of health problems, says the city's Secretary of Health.

They deny a dry-up in funding will affect the water's cleanliness.

"I don't think so," says Ms Miyamoto. "Everything is under control. Rio 2016 Committee and the IOC, they have the data available."

An underfunded healthcare system is an ongoing source of angst for locals. Their concern is not Zika; the criticism in local media is that there are hundreds of doctors and experts coming in to provide a first-class service for the Olympic family and foreigners, but for locals it means a lesser service.

That's a bigger problem for the 20 percent of Rio residents who live in slums.

Newshub.