Alex Morgan: Zika virus is ‘kind of scary’
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United States forward Alex Morgan expressed her concerns about the Zika virus and the upcoming Rio Olympics in an interview with Health magazine.
Morgan, who is married, was asked if she intended to have children, and if she was worried about the effects and threat of the virus.
“The Zika virus is definitely a concern. You don't know how long the virus lasts in your system, and that's an issue for someone who's trying to get pregnant,” Morgan told Health. “I am concerned, but I really do trust the International Olympic Committee about traveling in Brazil. It is kind of scary.”
USA keeper Hope Solo has also expressed concerns about Zika, but recently changed her stance and said she would travel to Brazil and play.
MORE: How the Zika virus is affecting sports
The Zika virus has been linked to pediatric microcephaly and brain damage, and it has also showed signs and connections to Guillain-Barré syndrome and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, which can be fatal in some cases.
Experts continue to issue warnings surrounding the virus, which recently forced the relocation of an MLB series between the Pirates and Marlins scheduled to take place in Puerto Rico. Players from both teams felt uncomfortable playing in Puerto Rico with the risk of the virus.
In February, the International Olympic Committee declared Rio a “safe environment” for the Games just before Brazil’s Ministry of Health declared Zika a notifiable disease. Rio de Janeiro is the most infected of all cities as 26,000 cases have been recorded. Dr. Amir Attaran of the University of Ottawa and Harvard Public Health review puts Rio “at the heart” of the Zika problem.
