The Iranian Olympic team has been fully educated and prepared on the Zika virus and self-care strategies, and trained to prevent contracting it during their stay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, said the deputy head of the Center for Contagious Diseases affiliated to the Health Ministry. “The team has been well-informed on the origins of the virus and the mosquito that carries it, as well as ways to prevent the disease,” Mahmoud Nabavi was quoted as saying by IRNA.
Iran does not have the species of the mosquito that carries the virus, nor does it have the environment for its growth, so there is no risk of Zika in Iran, he said, allaying concerns over a Zika-borne endemic in the country. Those who show symptoms will be tested on return. “The athletes have been provided with all essential preventive means including insect repellent sprays and ointments,” he added.
