Health

Researchers around the world join forces in fighting Zika

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Social Links for David K. Li
Published Feb. 10, 2016, 3:51 p.m. ET
A scientist shows a jar with Aedes Aegypti mosquitos, which transmit dengue fever and Zika virus, at the International Atomic Energy Agency Insect Pest Control Laboratory in Austria, Feb. 10.
A scientist shows a jar with Aedes Aegypti mosquitos, which transmit dengue fever and Zika virus, at the International Atomic Energy Agency Insect Pest Control Laboratory in Austria, Feb. 10. EPA

Researchers across the world agreed Wednesday to pool their resources in the fight against Zika, pledging to share information and findings for free in hopes of eradicating the virus linked to birth defects.

Reps for 30 leading research institutions, journals and funders said they had no choice but to enter into this all-hands-on-deck pact.

“In the context of a public health emergency of international concern, there is an imperative on all parties to make any information available that might have value in combatting the crisis,” according to the agreement by researchers from the Americas, Japan and Europe.

The Zika outbreak has raised concerns of athletes who’ll be in the Rio Olympics in August.

The coach of the reigning heptathlon gold medalist — Great Britain’s Jessica Ennis-Hill — urged British sports authorities to move their training grounds out of the Brazilian city of Belo Horizonte.

“Coaches have a duty of care and I certainly would not be encouraging an athlete to go anywhere that could have long-term effects. We should be looking at finding a camp that minimises the risk,” Ennis-Hill’s coach Toni Minichiello told the Times of London.

“Coaches spend their lives trying to get athletes as healthy as possible. We have to try to minimise the risk, and that might mean flying in as late as possible.”

The British Olympic Association, which governs the nation’s Olympic activities, said it has no plans to change anything going forward to the Aug. 5-21 games.

“The BOA has no higher priority than the safety and health of its athletes and delegation, and based on the information currently available plans for Team GB’s participation in Rio 2016 remain on course,” according to an association statement.

In other developments on Wednesday:

  • The World Health Organization urged people living in area in areas highly infected by Zika to practice safe sex.
  • Alabama reported its first case of the Zika. “We knew it was only a matter of time before we would have the first positive case of an individual from Alabama with the Zika virus,” said Dr. Thom Miller, acting head of the state health department.