A pair of Major League Baseball games scheduled to be played in Puerto Rico later this month will be relocated to Miami due to growing concerns among players over the Zika virus in the area.
The games between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Miami Marlins originally scheduled to be held in San Juan on May 30 and 31 will now be played at Marlins Park, MLB and the Players Association said in a joint statement on Friday.
MLB and the Players Association said they "did everything possible" to address the concerns and keep the games in Puerto Rico, but despite extensive efforts were unable to develop a workable solution.
Zika, a virus known to cause the birth defect microcephaly, first began spreading in Puerto Rico in December and there are now nearly 700 confirmed cases of Zika on the Caribbean island.
Last week, health officials confirmed the first US death of a patient infected with the Zika virus in Puerto Rico.
Players from both clubs received briefings from health officials, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred decided that players who objected to the trip should not be forced to travel to Puerto Rico.
"Commissioner (Rob) Manfred and the MLBPA fully understand the disappointment by those in Puerto Rico to the relocation of the games," the joint statement said. "MLB looks forward to returning to play games in Puerto Rico in the near future."
Zika, primarily spread by mosquitoes, has hit more than 40 countries and territories with Brazil, host of this year's Olympics, so far the hardest hit.
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