Please select your home edition
Edition
Craftinsure 2023 LEADERBOARD

If Zika more damaging then Ebola, should Rio 2016 become London 2016?

02/02/2016

The latest news from the UK and the world                                                                         Home    

Directories  


- Check here.    To respond to this email Go here

 
 02 Feb 2016
 


If Zika more damaging then Ebola, should Rio 2016 become London 2016?

The Christ Redeemer statue, left, overlooks Guanabara bay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Rio 2016 Olympics  
Right now, it's 185 days to Rio 2016 and athletes worldwide who have dedicated years of their lives to achieving excellence in the sport of sailing, and all have deferred many of life's other meaningful goals-such as careers or starting families-in order to try to win glory for their countries are at risk because a viral pandemic is putting the Olympics-and possibly their family's futures-at risk.

For those who have not been following the headlines, Brazil and other South American countries are experiencing a widespread outbreak of the Zika virus, which is transmitted by mosquito bites (and possibly through bodily fluids, but this has yet to be proven), and from pregnant mothers to their unborn children.

An Aedes Aegypti mosquito on human skin in a lab in Cali, Colombia. Scientists there are studying the genetics and biology of this mosquito, which transmits the Zika virus  

According to the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Zika is typically spread by the “Aedes” species of mosquito, which is also the vector for the dengue fever and chikungunya viruses.

Apparently only one in five people who contract the Zika virus experience any effects, which can run the gamut from mild symptoms to fevers, rashes, joint pain, or conjunctivitis.

But that hardly matters, because health officials strongly believe that there is a correlation between the virus and a surge in the number of babies born with microcephaly - a birth defect where children are born with significantly smaller heads than healthy infants. This in turn leads to a raft of other problems for the baby, including significant mental disabilities, seizures, and developmental issues.

World-wide this virus could cause millions of babies to be born with a life damaging disability, perhaps this could a much bigger threat to global health than the Ebola epidemic that killed more than 11,000 people in Africa.

That is the stark claim of several senior health experts ahead of an emergency meeting of the World Health Organisation today, Monday which will decide whether the Zika threat – which is linked to an alarming rise in cases of foetal deformation called microcephaly – should be rated a global health crisis.

“In many ways the Zika outbreak is worse than the Ebola epidemic of 2014-15,” said Jeremy Farrar, head of the Wellcome Trust. “Most virus carriers are symptomless. It is a silent infection in a group of highly vulnerable individuals – pregnant women – that is associated with a horrible outcome for their babies.¨'

As a result of the Zika outbreak and the possible connection to microcephaly, several Central and South American countries - including Ecuador, El Salvador, Jamaica and Colombia - have asked women to avoid becoming pregnant for the next two years. Repeat TWO years.

Already some airlines - including United - are offering some ticketed passengers (e.g., pregnant women, or women who plan to become pregnant, which of course could be any woman of child bearing age, that is any Olympic female athlete) headed to the affected regions an option to delay their trip or to get a refund.

Whilst there is a strong chance that the Zika virus will spread to other areas of the world where the Aedes mosquito is found (read: all of North and South America, with the exception of Canada, as well as wide swaths of the rest of the planet including much of Southern Europe, Africa and Asia), there is an equally strong chance that travellers and athletes who are attending the Games could inadvertently accelerate this spread by bringing the Zika virus back home to their family, friends and communities.

Then there's the question of how long one can remain infected and therefore serve as a vector for the virus. This last point is especially worrisome for women of childbearing age, as women can transmit the Zika virus to their unborn babies. Worse still, depending on the duration that a human can serve as a Zika vector, it could take years to know the full extent of the microcephaly risk.

Women of child bearing age are being warned to consider trips to Brazil 'carefully' ahead of the Olympic Games this August. Pictured: Geovane Silva holds his son Gustavo Henrique, who has microcephaly - one of more than 4,000 babies to be born with the condition in the last 12 months  Reuters

Given the fact that medical authorities are already suggesting the need for a two-year pregnancy deferment, medical authorities asked when would they know if future pregnancies could produce babies with micro-encephaphy or other devastating birth defects say in five years' time, answered we won't know for five years.

With The Australian Olympic Committee now advising female athletes to consider the health implications, some Australian female athletes already selected for Rio have said they will delay their decision on whether to compete or not until July, because of the fast moving situation.

The standing water in the slums of Rio and the waterways leading into Guanabara Bay are perfect breeding grounds for the transmission via the bite of mosquitoes from the Aedes genus, primarily Aedes aegypti, but others found including the Asian tiger mosquito now also common in Italy, France and Spain.

Given the fact that Brazil's promises on pollution control have not translated into action, it would be a brave of sporting administrators to assume that the mosquito would be controlled by August 2016.

Tyres and sewage float in Guanabara Bay near Rio's international port  Eliseu Cavalcante

For Rio 2016 the only good news from this potential disaster is that the possibility of getting a gastro intestinal tract infection from the faecal pollution in Guanabara Bay hardly matters when one is weighing the risks of brings a massively damaged child into the world, as a result of Rio 2016 participation.

OK, rant done, now to some more cheerful sailing news...

“Stupendously stonking spinnaker runs” - Clipper 2015-16 Round the World Yacht Race  Clipper Ventures

Clipper fleet powered by trade winds are now sailing an extended course to ensure they don't arrive early in Da Nang Vietnam, with the holidays preventing custom clearance before the end of the Tet New Year holiday.

World Match Racing series - Monsoon Cup in Jahore Malaysia, last of the monohull series won impressively by Ian Williams and his Pindar Team, his sixth WMRT world championship win. History will be made in Perth WA when the WS match racing pinnacle event switches to multihulls for the March 2-7th regatta.

2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami  Richard Langdon /Ocean Images ©

Excellent World Sailing Cup event in Miami has just finished, with 780 competitors competing. Remember only 380 sailors will be competing at the 2016 Olympic regatta.

Interestingly the World Sailing Head of Events Alistair Fox told sailing insiders at the Yachting Racing Forum in Geneva in December that the number of WSC events was set to be reduced, with rumours that at least one of the WS executive suggesting that even Miami should be cut from the roster, (even the most despairing of WS critics cannot believe our governing Executive would allow such a demented cut.)

Worrisome times ahead for sports administrators and sailors alike, right now the only thing we can all do to cheer us up is to go sailing!!


Rob Kothe, Editor at Large, Sail-World and Y&Y



Rio 2016 Olympics - Do new health risks justify re-location?
David Schmidt, Sail-World,
Ahead is the last vital months leading up to Rio 2016. Athletes have dedicated years of their lives to achieving excellence in the sport of sailing. Yet as these dedicated athletes fight hard to do well in a regatta that (country depending) helps determine Olympic berths, a little-known virus is putting the Olympics-and possibly their futures-at risk.... [more]
Share this story


World Sailing surprised by ex-CEO comments on Olympic venue shift
Richard Gladwell, Sail-World.com NZL,
World Sailing says that it is surprised by comments attributed to the former ISAF Chief Executive Officer Peter Sowrey in a recent interview with Associated Press. The story which appeared today claimed that Peter Sowrey, who had lasted just five months in the CEO role, had been pushing for a venue move.... [more]
Share this story


Oh dear, now a 9th emergency, should they be stopped?
Sail-World.com,
Two yachtsmen have called rescue teams a ninth time in seven months after their boat 'tipped over', causing a fire on board. One wonders if there is any law that can stop this farce, before someone dies?... [more]
Share this story


Clipper Round World Race – Fleet flying on trade wind ride
The Clipper Race,
The Trade Winds ride continues to provide great mileage for the Clipper Race fleet... [more]
Share this story


Interview with Ian Walker, boats.com YJA Yachtsman of the Year
Mark Jardine,
We spoke with Ian Walker, double Olympic medallist and Volvo Ocean Race winner, after he was awarded the boats.com YJA Yachtsman of the Year by the Yachting Journalists' Association.... [more]
Share this story


Clipper Round the World Race – Stupendous spinnnaker runs on Day 12
The Clipper Race,
Clipper Round the World Race – Day 12 has provided “stupendously stonking spinnaker runs” of up to 305 nautical miles covered in 24 hours, as the fleet powers on in the North Pacific Trade Winds.... [more]
Share this story


2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - British sailors take Miami medals
Lindsey Bell,
2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - World number one windsurfer Bryony Shaw sealed a hat-trick of Sailing World Cup Miami titles on Saturday (30 January), with Paralympic champion Helena Lucas also claiming victory at the season-opening regatta... [more]
Share this story


2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami - Tense final day
Daniel Smith,
2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami - The tension on the water at Sailing World Cup Miami presented by Sunbrella was fully loaded as Medal Races across the ten Olympic fleets drew the first big regatta of 2016, the Olympic year, to a close.... [more]
Share this story


2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami - More images by Richard Langdon
Rachel Jaspersen,
2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami - Photographer Richard Langdon was on water at 2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami and provided this gallery of Team GB and NED images.... [more]
Share this story


2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami images by Richard Langdon
Richard Langdon,
2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup Miami images by Richard Langdon... [more]
Share this story


New Super 12s promise exciting racing
Meg Ehman,
Britton Ward, the lead designer for the new Super 12 Class, says the racing yachts will sail on average one minute per mile faster than the International 12 Meter Class yachts that raced in the America's Cup from 1958 through 1987. Ward, of Farr Yacht Design, gave updated statistics Thursday night during a presentation in front of a standing-room-only crowd at Balboa Yacht Club.... [more]
Share this story


2016 RYA Youth National Championships - Entries now open
Imogen Stanley,
Entries are now open for the 2016 RYA Youth National Championships at the Welsh National Sailing Academy, Plas Heli from the 2-8 April.... [more]
Share this story


World Match Racing Tour - Monsoon Cup - Tough calls
WMRT,
World Match Racing Tour - The penultimate day of the Monsoon Cup showed just how far the world's best professional match racing teams are prepared to go in their quest to win the World Match Racing Tour, both on and off the water. There's money on the line, and there's professional pride at stake.... [more]
Share this story


2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami - More images by Richard Langdon
Rachel Jaspersen,
2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami - Photographer Richard Langdon was on water at 2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami and provided this gallery of Team GB and NED images.... [more]
Share this story


ISAF World Cup - British and Canadian sailors seal Paralympic medals
World Sailing,
2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami - Great Britain's 2.4mR sailor Helena Lucas and the Canadian Sonar team led by Paul Tingley snapped up gold in their respective fleets as Paralympic racing concluded at Sailing World Cup Miami presented by Sunbrella.... [more]
Share this story


Clipper Round the World Race - Fleet hit by 50 knot gusts in Tropics
The Clipper Race,
2015 -16 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - As a low pressure front continues to develop over the fleet, the circulatory winds are increasing with gusts of up to 50 knots, as the front runners approach the halfway mark in the Da Nang New Discovery of Asia Race.... [more]
Share this story


RS Aero Winter Squad coaching round three at Draycote Water
Paul Robson,
After the sudden snap of winter we arrived on Saturday morning to mist and a lack of wind. However, Draycote didn't disappoint and by 11am there was glorious blue skies, a warm 10mph breeze and 13 RS Aeros lining up on the beach.... [more]
Share this story


2016 World Match Racing Tour – Williams steals Canfield's thunder
WMRT,
2016 World Match Racing Tour – Taylor Canfield (ISV) dominated the first two days of the Monsoon Cup but today Ian Williams (GBR) managed to ruin his perfect score with a masterful execution of the start.... [more]
Share this story


Farr 40 Australia- Nationals preview with Lang Walker of Kokomo +Video
Nic Douglass,
Nic Douglass took the opportunity today to sit down with Lang Walker to chat about his return to sailing, Farr 40 sailing, why he likes the Farr 40 class in general, and of course the Nationals that are coming up this weekend, ahead of the Worlds in Australia in a fortnight.... [more]
Share this story


WMRT announces qualifying events for 2016 World Championship Tour
WMRT,
Today the World Match Racing Tour announced a series of qualifying events for the 2016 world championship Tour, providing a new pathway for young aspiring sailors to compete against the best match racing teams in the world.... [more]
Share this story


2018-2019 Barcelona World Race pre-notice
FNOB,
Work is now underway on the fourth Barcelona World Race, the non-stop two-handed round-the-world race that starts and ends in Barcelona. Now approved by the RFEV (the Royal Spanish Sailing Federation) and the IMOCA class, the FNOB has published the Pre-Notice of Race, which is the first step towards holding of the only round-the-world, two handed, nonstop race organised by a Spanish organisation.... [more]
Share this story


2016 GC32 Racing Tour – Schedule and venues announced + Video
GC32 Racing Tour,
For 2016, its fourth season, the GC32 Racing Tour is taking a fresh approach with the simple remit of visiting venues that will provide the optimum foiling conditions for the 32ft flying catamarans and the best, most high octane racing for its teams.... [more]
Share this story


2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup images by Pedro Martinez and Jesus Renedo
World Sailing,
2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami - Pedro Martinez and Jesus Renedo were on water at 2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami and provided this gallery of images.... [more]
Share this story


ISAF Sailing World Cup - Team GB and NED images by Richard Langdon
Rachel Jaspersen,
2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami - Photographer Richard Langdon was on water at 2016 ISAF Sailing World Cup - Miami and provided this gallery of Team GB and NED images.... [more]
Share this story


WMRT Monsoon Cup – Another giant-killing performance +Video
World Match Racing Tour,
World Match Racing Tour – Local hero Hazwan Dermawan (MAS) wowed his Malaysian fans with another giant-killing performance in Qualifying Session two of the Monsoon Cup.... [more]
Share this story


RS Aero UK Winter Series – Competition building
Peter Barton,
The RS Aeros are now five events into their nine event UK Winter Series and competition is steadily building for this year's title.... [more]
Share this story


2016 RS Tera World Championships – Entry is open
Sally Campbell,
Entry is now open for the long-awaited RS Tera World Championship 2016 (Pro and Sport) to be held in Santona, Northern Spain, hosted by Club de Vela Santona and organised by the International RS Tera Class Association. Santona is one of the oldest and most genuine fishing towns in Cantabria, at the foot of Mount Buciero and close to some beautiful beaches.... [more]
Share this story


Extreme Sailing Series - Former winner returns at helm of Oman Air
Extreme Sailing Series,
2016 Extreme Sailing Series - Former champion Morgan Larson, who held off Leigh McMillan on The Wave, Muscat to win the 2014 title, is returning to the Extreme Sailing Series™ with an all-star line-up on board Oman Air.... [more]
Share this story


2016 Winter Match Racing – Lasko remains undefeated
RYA,
The first of three RYA Winter Match Racing events got underway at the weekend (22-24 January) at Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy (WPNSA).... [more]
Share this story


2016 Volvo Cork Week – Inaugural Beaufort Cup announced
Royal Cork Yacht Club,
“It is with huge excitement that we announce the inaugural Beaufort Cup which is going to be part of Volvo Cork Week 2016. This event will attract teams from many countries and will add a unique and exciting element to the already fun packed Volvo Cork Week 2016.” –Kieran O'Connell, Chairman of Volvo Cork Week.... [more]
Share this story


Major Cowes fire destroys one-designs and classic keelboats
Helen Fretter for Y&Y and Sail-World,
A fire at a boatyard in West Cowes on the Isle of Wight yesterday, Monday January 25, has seen the destruction of around 30 yachts and one-design dayboats, including many irreplaceable classics.... [more]
Share this story


The Transat 2016 – 100 days to the start
The Transat,
In just under 100 days time, a growing fleet of first-class ocean racers and fearless adventurers will set sail on the world's oldest solo transatlantic race from Plymouth to New York – The Transat.... [more]
Share this story


World Match Racing Tour - History in the making
Sail-World.com,
The 2016 Monsoon Cup, the finale of 2015-2016 season - last World Match Racing Tour event to be sailed in monohulls Watch the WMRT- Monsoon Cup 26th January 2016 Qualifying Session here... [more]
Share this story
 


 
Naa, please don't send me another. Click here to unsubscribe
  




To subscribe a friend to Sail-World's FREE newsletter click here

Send your regatta news and images directly to Sail-World by clicking here

If you are a potential advertiser and want to understand how Sail-World can work for your company, website or product, then drop a line to our Sales Manager Lars Kiaer euadvertising@sail-world.com

Stay up with the latest sailing news, as it happens, on our website www.sail-world.com/uk


Follow Sail-
World

Customised news feeds

Marine Industry companies, Clubs and Associations have asked can they received their own customised
version of our Sail-World news feed. The answer is yes; customised in content, news category, for example or region of the world and appearance.


Check here  to view examples and get free news tickers for your site.
------------------------------------------------------------------



Change the frequency of news receival from once a week to monthly.
Change from Sail-World Racing News to Sail-World Cruising News etc.



/subs/index.cfm?sid=&pwd=&tbl=&tmpid=<:templateID:>


To receive this regular news, go here


PredictWind - GO! exec 728x90 BOTTOMStoneways Marine 2021 - FOOTERETNZ-STORE-728X90 one B BOTTOM