KUALA LUMPUR: While the Brazilian government steps up its efforts in battling the Zika virus, preparations for the Olympic Games are going as planned.

Brazil Embassy’s Minister Counsellor Daniel Falcon Lins said the preparation for the Olympics, with an expected turnout of 1.7 million people in Rio de Janeiro, were not affected by the virus, which is linked to the increase in micro­cephaly cases in newborns in Brazil.

“But there are more efforts by the Brazilian government to do everything that needs to be done to fight mosquitoes,” he said in an interview here.

Lins said about 220,000 personnel from the armed forces and 300,000 from the Brazilian Health Ministry had moved in to destroy mosquito-breeding areas.

“And we are doing that with a higher degree of care in the Olympic Games areas.

“Health officers have been designated in those areas to remove all breeding grounds,” he said, adding that this was part of the Olympics preparation.

The Zika virus, which is linked to microcephaly but is not proven to be the cause yet, is transmitted through Aedes mosquito bites, and hence, the need to control the mosquito population.

On Feb 1, the World Health Organization (WHO) had declared that the recent microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders reported in Brazil and French Polynesia in 2014 were a “public health emergency of international concern” but did not call for restrictions on travel and trade.

Lins said the Brazilian government was also counting on the fact that the Olympics would take place during winter and usually, there would be fewer mosquitoes during that season.

Brazil is expecting between 350,000 and 500,000 foreign tourists for the Olympic Games to be held from Aug 5 to 21 while the Paralym­pics will be held from Sept 7 to 18.

“We are not expecting any drop in the number of people turning up,” said Lins, who urged people to look at the situation in proper perspective.

“Zika is not Ebola. Like Malaysia, people take precautions over dengue. But with Zika, in 80% of the infections, the impact is not as intense as dengue.”-thestar