Returning Olympic Athletes to Be Screened for Zika

Published on 2016/08/22 | Source

/Newsis

Returning athletes will be screened for the Zika virus after the Rio Olympics come to a close on Sunday.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will test 836 athletes, support staff, cheerleaders and journalists for the virus at health clinics nationwide, a spokesman said on Sunday.

A few dozen did not agree to tests.

The subjects will be tested seven to 21 days after their return home because that is the incubation period.

A KCDC official said, "We're going to test everyone who visited Brazil during the Olympics and agreed to undergo testing, even if they have no symptoms like fever and rashes".

Meanwhile, a man in his mid-30s who visited Pattaya, Thailand on July 31 and returned on Aug. 8 has tested positive for Zika, the KCDC said on Sunday.

He is the 10th Zika virus infection in the country. The man is believed to have been bitten by a mosquito in Thailand and is in stable condition.