A 16-month Associated Press study found waste levels in Rio de Janeiro water remain dangerously high ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games, with athletes and spectators in danger of becoming "violently ill" due to viruses.
Jenny Barchfield of the AP reported anyone who consumes three or more teaspoons of the contaminated water—roughly half of an ounce—is "almost certain" to become infected by viruses. The water levels most regularly cause gastroenteritis (the stomach flu) but can also cause inflammation of the heart and brain.
The adenovirus, which can cause cold-like symptoms in healthy individuals or dangerous illness in those who are immunodeficient, was found in 90 percent of waters tested.
"That's a very, very, very high percentage," said Dr. Valerie Harwood, chair of the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of South Florida. "Seeing that level of human pathogenic virus is pretty much unheard of in surface waters in the U.S. You would never, ever see these levels because we treat our waste water. You just would not see this."
Contamination has even reached the sand, and Harwood warned parents to not allow their children to accidentally consume sand when visiting beaches.
"Both of them have pretty high levels of infectious adenovirus," Harwood said. "You know how quickly an infant can get dehydrated and have to go to the hospital. That's the scariest point to me."
The Brazil government has long made promises to clean up the water but has not done so as the Games approach. Barchfield's report indicates the most dangerous waters are at the sites of the rowing (Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon) and start of the sailing (Gloria Marina) events.
Amid growing controversy about the contamination, U.S. rower Megan Kalmoe wrote a first-person essay asking critics to stop trying to "ruin" the Olympics:
I will row through s--t for you, America.
And I will do it gladly, and proudly, because rowing on this Team in Rio is not something I’m afraid of, or going to complain about. I will do it, and I will defend fiercely the dignity of the people who are doing their best to make everyone happy while we are all guests in their beautiful country. I will do it, and I will try to discourage you from taking away even the tiniest bit of magic or excitement from a single one of my teammates who have earned this trip with their blood and sweat, and all of whom deserve to have a really positive experience in Rio.
Olympic officials, who declined to comment for the AP story, have maintained athletes and travelers are safe in Rio's waters. Bacteria testing has largely come back clean, but the AP noted viruses have been more resistant to clean-up efforts, and measures taken like using antibiotics won't help athletes fend off illness.
Copacabana Beach was also found to have fecal matter that would have exceeded the acceptable levels for California by "five times."
The Rio Games are set to begin with soccer matches Wednesday. The first aquatic events where athletes are at risk will take place Saturday.
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