Rio ready to revel as Carnival opens despite Zika fears

Rio ready to revel as Carnival opens despite Zika fears

Rio is ready to spread the sparkle as King Momo declares Carnival open.

As revelers prepare to flash the flesh in skimpy spandex authorities are fumigating the Sambodrome in an attempt to exterminate the party pooping mosquito that delivers both dengue and now the Zika virus.

However, the hedonism has been halted in Capivari, Sao Paulo state, the local administration has decided to invest the $25,000 it sets aside for Carnival into efforts to wipe out the Aedes mosquito.

Rodrigo Provence is the mayor of the city: “The traditional Carnival of Capivari will be set aside this year so we can invest funds into public health, mainly the fight against dengue fever. We are intensifying our actions in the battle against the mosquito, not just because of dengue, but we are also worried about chikungunya and the Zika virus.”

Still, the desire to dance burns brightly perhaps the only effective antidote to poverty, corruption, violence, drugs and now Zika.

-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-01-06