MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Earlier in the day, it was reported in the press that the US Olympic Committee had told US sports federations that athletes and staff were concerned for their health due to the mosquito-borne infection and could reconsider participating in the upcoming Olympic Games, to be hosted in Rio de Janeiro in August.
"Doctors said they are ready for everything. I know that our doctors are working on the issue," Zhukov told R-Sport.
At present, there is no vaccine against the Zika virus available. There are suspected strong links between the virus and severe brain damage in newborns, known as microcephaly.
The current Zika outbreak started in Brazil in spring 2015. It has since spread across Latin America, allegedly causing several deaths. The first case of the Zika virus in Europe was confirmed in Denmark in January, followed by Sweden and Germany.
