Net income — or rather, screen income — remains a paramount issue for the Rio Olympics.

Concerns about the Zika virus in Brazil are growing day by day, among athletes, media and spectators alike. Yet, doesn’t mean a climate of anxiety cannot be exploited for a little extra money.

The organizing committee in Rio says it will charge national delegations for mosquito screens in lodging areas. The only areas in which the screens will be installed for free are community areas “where required,” according to Reuters. There’s no word yet on how much the screens will cost, but cheap ones can run about $15, and the most expensive versions made out of more rigid material than the standard velcro can run up to $100.

The decision by Olympic organizers to charge national delegations reinforces the money crunch which has — along with Zika — marked the buildup to the Rio Games. With a smoother process, fewer health concerns, and fewer projects running behind schedule, the local organizing committee for an Olympiad might have been able to cover this cost itself. This is not the case on the ground in Rio.

<> on June 4, 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

What has many athletes, particularly women, scared about Zika is the virus’ possible connection with 4,000 suspected cases of microcephaly in Brazil. Microcephaly is a rare condition that causes abnormally small heads in infants and can lead to developmental problems. There has not been any scientifically confirmed link between the diseases, but traces of the Zika virus have been found in mothers and babies affected by microcephaly. The most effective way of preventing the spread of Zika is through effective control of mosquitoes, which can easily be done through nets and screens.

The director of the World Health Organization recently traveled to Brazil and said the virus should not affect international travel nor the ability for Rio to host a successful Olympic Games.

Despite the bare-bones assurances from the Rio organizing committee, other national Olympic committees are taking their own steps. For instance, Australia’s NOC signed a deal with a repellent maker to provide bug spray to each athlete, and the Brazilian NOC will pay for nets for each of its 400 athletes.

More than 6,000 cases of Zika have been reported in Rio since January, and potentially up to 1.5 million people have been afflicted in Brazil, according to the national government.

[Reuters via Business Insider]

About Matt Lichtenstadter

Recent Maryland graduate. I've written for many sites including World Soccer Talk, GianlucaDiMarzio.com, Testudo Times, Yahoo's Puck Daddy Blog and more. Houndstooth is still cool, at least to me. Follow me @MattsMusings1 on Twitter, e-mail me about life and potential jobs at matthewaaron9 at Yahoo dot com.