Michigan satellite camp in Samoa cancelled due to Zika concerns

Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan football staff were supposed to be in American Samoa on Thursday, but the satellite camp has been cancelled due to concerns over the Zika virus.

Zika is spread by the bite of an infected mosquito. If a pregnant woman is bitten, she can pass the virus to her fetus during pregnancy or delivery, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Mosquito’s are most common during the day, which is when the satellite camp would take place in Samoa.

Harbaugh’s wife, Sarah Harbaugh, is expecting a child and the virus would be a health risk to both Sarah and the baby. The virus is so serious in some countries that Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, and Jamaica have made it clear that women should wait on getting pregnant until more is known about the risks of viruses.

During the start of June, six Michigan staff members held a camp in Samoa without Harbaugh. After two camps in Hawaii, the Maize and Blue head coach was expected to make the return trip.

Zika is a reason that many athletes are skipping the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil during the month of July.