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| The South Korean team uniforms for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games |
South Korean athletes at
the Rio Olympics will wear long-sleeved training kits impregnated with mosquito
repellant to protect them from the Zika virus, the national Olympic committee
said Thursday.
AFP
report continues:
Brazil
— the epicentre of the mosquito-borne Zika virus outbreak — hosts the 2016
Games in Rio de Janeiro from August 5 to 21.
The
virus is blamed for birth defects in babies born to women infected with it.
Brazil has reported around 1.5 million Zika infections out of a global total of
2.0 million.
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|
The
mosquito-borne Zika virus is blamed for birth defects in babies born to women
infected with it ©Lluis Robayo (AFP)
|
The
South Korean training kit and uniforms for the opening and closing ceremonies
will cover most of the body and be infused with repellant, a spokeswoman of the
Korean Olympic Committee said, but competition kit could not be similarly
treated, due to strict regulations.
"But
we will distribute mosquito-repellant sprays to the athletes and will also
vaccinate them against other diseases that can be spread by mosquitoes just in
case," the spokeswoman said.
The
committee will also train athletes on ways to avoid mosquito bites.
There
is no vaccine or cure for the Zika virus, which in most people causes only mild
symptoms — a rash, joint pain or fever.
The South Korean team is
seeking at least 10 golds in Rio to take a top-10 spot in the overall medals
table.
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