The Olympic waterways in Rio de Janiero has been reported to be filled with deadly microorganisms both near the land and far off shore where sewage is free-flowing.
Waters at the area where the Summer Olympics will be held next year were examined last July. Both the International Olympic Committee and Brazilian authorities tested the waters for bacteria only.
An alarming level of bacteria and viruses from human feces was found in the July water testing. The degree of threat is about 1.7 million times than a regular beach and this does not bode well should the Olympics athlete get exposed to it.
Recent testing reveals that risk hazards is as dangerous off shore as they are near land. This indicates that waters don't get diluted as it travels towards a larger body of water.
According to Kristina Mena 'We're talking about an extreme environment, where the pollution is so high that exposure is imminent and the chance of infection very likely,' Mena is a public health associate professor from the University of Texas Health Science Center as well as an virus expert specializing in waterborne ones. 'The levels of viruses are so high in these Brazilian waters that if we saw those levels here in the United States on beaches, officials would likely close those beaches,' she added.
The July testing results aroused worry among the World Health Organization and Olympic officials and they promised to do some testing on their own. This was brought about when athletes got sick after their sailing and rowing events last August.
'I can guarantee these games will be ready on time. One hundred percent. And I can guarantee you, that this is going to be the greatest legacy in Olympics history,' Eduardo Paes, mayor of Rio de Janiero assured.
What's even more alarming is the fact that water quality conditions have gotten worse and may possibly be even more infected if left unchecked before the coming 2016 Olympics.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
