Amid Zika virus outbreak, 2016 Summer Olympics name an official insect repellent

The mosquito-borne Zika virus has been a constant source of concern for the upcoming 2016 Summer Olympics, with international health officials issuing warnings and athletes withdrawing from the competition.

So it figures that officials in Rio de Janeiro have selected an official brand of insect repellent for their Games.

SC Johnson, a U.S. company, announced this week that it will partner with Rio 2016 to make Off! repellent available to athletes, staff and fans at the global sporting event in August.

“We want everyone attending and participating in the Olympic and Paralympic Games to feel free to fully immerse themselves in the spirit of the Games,” Fisk Johnson, the corporation’s chairman and chief executive, said in a news release.

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Zika has swept through much of the Americas, with Brazil hit particularly hard. The illness is mild for many individuals but can lead to neurological ailments and birth defects in some cases.

Golfers Jason Day and Rory McIlroy are among a growing number of athletes who have cited Zika in choosing not to compete in Rio.

The World Health Organization has issued a number of cautions for travelers to Brazil and has advised pregnant women to avoid visiting the country.

WHO officials say they expect the outbreak to subside in August because the mosquito population will decrease during the Southern Hemisphere’s winter.

david.wharton@latimes.com

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