Olympic leaders issue guidelines for dealing with Zika virus at 2016 Summer Games

With the Zika virus spreading quickly across the Americas -- including Brazil where the 2016 Summer Games will be held -- the International Olympic Committee on Friday sent a memo to its member nations with advice on safeguarding against the mosquito-borne outbreak.

At the same time, multiple media outlets reported that IOC officials are confident the Rio de Janeiro Games will be safe.

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“All parties are taking action to address this topic, and are following developments closely,” the committee was quoted as saying in a statement.

The World Health Organization declared earlier this week that Zika, which has been linked to birth defects in infants, was a threat of “alarming proportions.”

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The IOC passed along WHO suggestions that travelers take precautions against mosquito bites and women who are planning to become pregnant assess the potential risks of visiting infected areas.

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