Brazil fumigates Olympic venue as fears mount over Zika

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/brazil/12123737/Brazil-fumigates-Olympic-venue-as-fears-mount-over-Zika.html

Massive cleaning operation at landmark Sambadrome comes as health minister admits country is "badly losing" war against the virusConcerns over the http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/12116157/Three-Britons-infected-with-dangerous-Zika-virus.html">Zika virus reached new heights on Tuesday after Brazil sent fumigators into Rio de Janeiro's world-famous carnival venue that will help host the Olympic games amid intensified efforts to control the mosquito-borne infection.

Workers in protective overalls and goggles sprayed the Sambadrome facility two weeks before it stages next month's carnival parades even as a senior official stoked further fears by suggesting that the war against Zika - thought to cause brain defects in new-born babies - was being lost.It became the unexpected focus of attention in the government's public health campaign against Zika as Marcelo Castro, Brazil's health minister, said 220,,000 troops would go door-to-door in an attempt to eradicate the virus before the carnival takes place on February 7 and 8.

Mosquito repellent would be handed out to 400,000 women on social welfare, he said.Yet Mr Castro appeared to undermine hopes of re-assuring the public by saying that the drive to combat the virus had come too late, prompting calls for him to be sacked.


The Zika virus is thought to cause microcephaly, a condition that leads to exceptionally small infant head size