No Apparent Zika Virus Spread at Rio Olympics, WHO Says

— -- Taking a health policy victory lap, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday that there had been no confirmed cases of Zika among people who attended the Olympic Games in Brazil last month.

The WHO noted that the lack of confirmed Zika diagnoses -- both during the games and afterwards -- validated their June prediction that there was a "very low risk of further international spread of Zika virus as a result of the Olympic and Paralympic Games."

The health organization chalked the successes up to Brazil's "successful application of appropriate public health measures," during the games. In June, it also noted that the games were being held during Brazil's winter, when the transmission of diseases like Zika are typically lower.

While the WHO was upbeat about the Olympics, it said that Zika remained a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), because it continues to spread to new areas around the world and because many people are still largely ignorant of the virus and its consequences, particularly for women who are pregnant or may become pregnant in the near future.

Declaring an outbreak a PHEIC requires officials to believe that the virus can pose a health risk for several countries and that it "potentially requires a coordinated international response."