Note from the editors: Articles on Zika preparedness.

Already earlier this year, in light of the emergence of Zika virus in South America and the Caribbean in late 2015, questions were raised about the risk for Europe. Findings that Ae. albopictus, even though less competent than Ae. aegypti, can be a potential vector for Zika virus transmission [2,3] have further fuelled the concerns of possible importation of Zika virus, also in light of the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games in Brazil, a country with a large Zika virus disease epidemic. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has addressed concerns related to disease occurrence in connection with travel to the Games in Brazil in a recent risk assessment [4]. It concluded that visitors to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, will be most at risk of gastrointestinal illness and vector-borne infection. However, given that the Games will take place during the winter season in Rio, when mosquito populations will be reduced, the risk of imported mosquito-borne infections such as Zika vrus disease, dengue and chikungunya is expected to be very low [4]. An article from EuroTravNet, published in Eurosurveillance last week, supported these conclusions based on observations in travellers returning from Brazil between June 2013 and May 2016 [5].