Spanish tennis stars Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer insisted they were unworried by Brazil's Zika virus outbreak as they prepare to compe...
Spanish tennis stars Rafael Nadal and David Ferrer insisted they were unworried by Brazil's Zika virus outbreak as they prepare to compete at the Rio Open ATP tournament this week.
"I'm not at all afraid," Nadal, 29, told a press conference. "I go out at night, and I know there's a risk, but I'm just happy to be back here again.Rio Open: Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer unworried by Zika virus |
"People are going to the beach, going out for walks, having dinner in restaurants," the world number five continued.
Ferrer, ranked sixth in the world, said he had been reassured by Brazil's efforts to wipe out the mosquitoes which carry the virus.
"We've been told that everything possible has been done so that there will be no mosquitoes, which is comforting," he said.
"We've been wearing long trousers at night but I'm not getting obsessed by the whole thing."
Brazil has been most affected by the outbreak that has spread rapidly through Latin America and the Caribbean, with 1.5 million people in the country infected since early 2015.
While it causes only mild flu-like symptoms in most people, scientists suspect when it strikes a pregnant woman, it can cause her baby to be born with microcephaly, or an abnormally small head.
"The whole thing seems to have been blown out of proportion," Nadal said.
"The reality is that we are here in Rio for an international tennis tournament and I'm here and I can see that everything looks totally normal," he insisted.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Saturday vowed that the virus would not jeopardize the Rio Olympics in August.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Saturday vowed that the virus would not jeopardize the Rio Olympics in August.
Read More Stories At Viral DotCom
Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only.
The information is provided by Gossip Maestro using online sources and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose.
Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.