The Olympics have been a worldly tradition for decades. Every two years, the entire globe gathers together to compete in the snow or sun, gaining medals for their respective countries. However, a new threat has emerged just months before the olympics are set to begin in Rio, Brazil: the Zika virus.

The Zika virus did not surface recently in Brazil; the first cases were seen as far back as last year. Only 1 in 5 people have symptoms of the disease, so it is hard to detect. Olympic officials are concerned that with the outbreak, hosting over 16,000 athletes and close to 1 million spectators could cause the virus to spread to different parts of the world. The Olympics has over 200 participating countries, and if one person catches the virus and goes home, it can spread quickly and easily.

This is not the first time an outbreak threatened the Olympic games. In the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, over 80 people contracted measles. It is hard to keep track and manage the health and wellness at gatherings like the olympics, because everyone comes from different areas and have been exposed to different things.

The Zika virus is similar to many other illnesses in that it is spread by mosquitos. One advantage the Rio Olympics might have is that the games are taking place during their colder season, since Brazil is in the southern hemisphere. This will mean that there will be a reduced population of mosquitos, but the virus does still pose a risk. The downside to this is that many visitors are from the Northern Hemisphere, where summer will be taking place. If they are infected with the virus, it can easily be spread through mosquitos in their home countries.
Brazil is working hard to control its mosquito population to ensure that everyone at the olympic games, visitors and athletes, remain safe. Some athletes have been told to stay away if they feel unsafe. Officials in Brazil state they have not even thought of cancelling the games, leaving the entire world waiting anxiously for the opening ceremonies this August.