With less than 13 days before the Olympic Games, many athletes are heading to Rio de Janeiro. But many athletes wait until the open ceremonies are closer because they don't want to stay in Rio any longer than necessary. Many athletes wait because they are afraid of catching the Zika virus. Some athletes are so afraid of the Zika virus that they have withdrawn from the games. This makes the total number of athletes the lowest since the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. According to the Ministry of Health, “Zika virus is a benign cebrile viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes” (“Zika Virus”). These mosquitoes are aggressive biters during the day. They can also bite at night. The WHO (World Health Organization) “estimates that 3 to 4 million people in the Americas will be infected with the virus over the next year” (“Zika Virus and Potential Complications”). “As long as the mosquito continues to breed, each and every one of us is losing the battle against the mosquito,” Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said recently. “We must mobilize to not lose this battle” (LaMotte, “Zika Virus: 5 Things You Need to Know.”) Many people, mainly women, are afraid of Zika because it is linked to microcephaly . According to WebMD, "Microcephaly stunts a baby's growth, causing devastating, sometimes fatal damage, and can lead to miscarriage and stillbirth" ("Zika Virus Symptoms, Countries, Risk and Prevention"). Microcephaly can occur because the baby's brain did not develop properly during pregnancy or stopped growing after birth, resulting in a smaller head size. According to the CDC, “babies with microcephaly may have a range of other problems, depending on the severity of their microcephaly. Some other issues include...... middle of paper ......ing bugs. “Mosquito nets form a protective barrier around the people sleeping under them. However, nets treated with an insecticide are much more protective than untreated nets. Insecticides used to treat bed nets kill mosquitoes as well as other insects. Insecticides also repel mosquitoes, reducing the number of them that enter the home and attempt to feed on the people inside” (“Insecticide-Treated Mosquito Nets”). As for the athletes in Rio. If you follow these steps and minimize your time outside, especially during the day. You will reduce your risk of contracting the Zika virus. And it could save your life. In conclusion, Zika virus is very dangerous, although we don't know much about it. And currently, there is no cure for Zika. Zika is very dangerous for women and their unborn children. Zika is getting more dangerous and not going anywhere anytime soon.