Brazil has been the epicenter of the outbreak, with 1.5 million Zika infections reported regionally, out of some two million globally. There is currently no cure or vaccine for the virus, which has left many on edge about the Olympic Games being held there in August.
Treated Korean Olympic Committee uniforms, consisting of long-sleeved shirts, blazers, and pants, are formal and intended to be worn during ceremonies, not during competition.
Competition uniforms were not treated with the repellent, as Olympic organizers have strict regulations, and instead will be issuing sprays to the the athletes.
“But we will distribute mosquito-repellant sprays to the athletes and will also vaccinate them against other diseases that can be spread by mosquitoes just in case,” a Korean Olympic Committee spokeswoman told Sports Inquirer.
The committee has also vowed to train those competing on how to avoid being bit by mosquitos.
Zika, which is spread by the Aedes mosquito common in tropical areas of the Americas, causes birth defects when pregnant mothers become infected. Compelling scientific consensus links Zika to neurological disorders, including Guillain-Barre syndrome and microcephaly.
