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Olympic Area of Rio Sees Explosion in Dengue Cases
03/04/2016 - 15h55
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LUCAS VETTORAZZO
FROM RIO DE JANEIRO
Barra da Tijuca and Jacarepaguá, the area in the west of Rio de Janeiro which will host the main events in the upcoming Olympic Games, has registered an explosion in dengue cases since the beginning of the year.
Dengue shot up 600% in January and February, compared to the same period of 2015, with the number of cases increasing from 47 to 329.
This increase was the greatest of the ten areas monitored by Rio's Municipal Health Department. It is also greater than the 332% increase in the city as a whole and the 150% increase in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
The main Olympic sites are found in this area. The Olympic Park, which is located on the border between Barra da Tijuca and Jacarepaguá, will host 16 different sports, including swimming, synchronized swimming, tennis and basketball. The Olympic Village, which will host nearly 15,000 athletes, is adjacent to the Park.
Eduardo Paes, the mayor of Rio, points out that the number of dengue cases tends to fall in August. Nonetheless, there will be at least three test events in the area in March: synchronized swimming (a qualifying event for the Games themselves), judo and golf. The Rio 2016 organizing committee has distributed insect repellent to the delegations.
The Aedes aegypti mosquito also transmits the zika virus, which has been associated with an upsurge in babies born with microcephaly, causing much recent concern amongst the international community.
Translated by TOM GATEHOUSE
Read the article in the original language
Ricardo Moraes - 26.fev.2015/Reuters | ||
An aerial view of the construction site of the Arena of the Future venue at the Rio 2016 Olympic Park |