It is feared that concern about the Zika virus could imperil some parts of Brazil's tourism, sport and cultural sectors. There are at least two events scheduled for the next few months that are expected to bring in a large number of foreign tourists. The first is the annual Carnival event, and the second is the Olympic Games scheduled for August, according to The Guardian.
Carnival has been on Brazil's tourism map and calendar for many years now. Last year, the event brought in nearly 1.5 million tourists from outside of Brazil. This year, organizers expect at least that many people to attend the event, if not more. And reports about reservations in area hotels (that host the large number of tourists during Carnival) suggest that at least as many people that came last year may come this year as well. What's more, no large-scale cancellations were taking place as many people had feared, according to The Rio Times.
The Olympic Games are scheduled to be held in Rio de Janeiro, and an estimated 500,000 tourists are expected to travel to watch the event. Brazilian officials say that August is a month that is not very supportive of mosquito reproduction and mosquito populations do not flourish during this month. Also, many cities are now seeing mosquito-eradication measures being executed. Zika is spread by mosquitoes, as previously reported by HNGN.
Brazil's health officials warn people traveling to Brazil and those planning to stay there to ensure that they bring insect repellents and other aids (such as mosquito nets or liquid or solid repellants) to fight mosquito bites while in Brazil. They also recommend that people wear long sleeves to ensure their arms don't get bitten. In particular, though, they have a specific warning for pregnant women wanting to visit Brazil. They recommend that pregnant women should consult their doctors and discuss their proposed travel before deciding on their Brazil travel plans, according to Reuters.
