Detroit Tigers Pitcher Who Caught Zika Virus Abroad Warns Athletes About Travel to Rio Olympics: 'It Could Be Global'

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“It’s something people have to be careful with and worry about,” Rodriguez toldESPN.com. “There’s no vaccine for it. It’s not like you take a shot and [improve]. … It could be global.”

Rodriguez is sounding the alarm about Zika after he spent two weeks battling severe headaches, body aches, joint pain and other symptoms while spending the off-season at home in Caracas, Venezuela. He says he thought he was just suffering from a cold until his symptoms quickly worsened.

“It wasn’t a cold, trust me,” he said. “It wasn’t a cold. A cold, you have a sneeze, have a headache, take a couple Tylenol and you’re done. You don’t have a cold for two weeks, you don’t have a body ache for two weeks, you don’t have headaches, throwing up, weaknesses for two weeks.”

A blood test confirmed that he had contracted the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness that has been linked to severe birth defects and otherserious health issues. While his infection lasted for only two weeks, Rodriguez said it took two months before he made a full recovery.

Olympic athletes like Hope Solo,Pau GasolandSerena Williamshave already voiced their concerns about participating in the games.

“I wouldn’t blame them,” Rodriguez of any athletes thinking twice about traveling to Brazil to compete. “If they have plans to have kids in the future, you’ve got to think about it. You have to be aware of that as well. You have to do some homework, some research about it.”

source: people.com