RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The World Health Organization's top water expert said Friday the body "never advised against viral testing" for Rio de Janeiro's polluted waterways where about 1,400 athletes will compete in Olympic events next year.
Bruce Gordon, the WHO's coordinator of water, sanitation, hygiene and health, told The Associated Press in a phone interview from Geneva that testing for viruses "would be advisable" given it's known that human sewage pollution is rife in Rio's waters.
"WHO would support additional viral testing to further inform the risk assessment by authorities and to verify and address concerns raised by independent testing," Gordon said, indicating it was WHO's official stance.