BERLIN — The World Health Organization said Saturday that there was no public health justification for postponing or canceling the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro because of the Zika outbreak in Brazil.
On Friday, 150 health experts issued an open letter to the health agency calling for the Olympic Games to be delayed or moved in the name of public health. The letter cited recent scientific evidence that the Zika virus causes severe birth defects, most notably babies born with abnormally small heads. In adults, it can cause neurological problems, including a rare syndrome that can be fatal or result in temporary paralysis.