More than 200,000 army, navy and air force troops have fanned out across Brazil to show people how to eliminate the Aedes aegypti mosquito that spreads the Zika virus, which many health officials believe is linked to severe birth defects.
The nationwide offensive is part of President Dilma Rousseff's declared war on the virus that has quickly spread across the Americas.
According to the government, 220,000 members of the armed forces accompanied by community health agents and mosquito control teams were deployed on Saturday in an effort to educate the population on how to eliminate mosquito breeding areas in and around their homes.
They were expected to visit 3 million homes in 350 cities to hand out explanatory pamphlets.
Wearing a white T-shirt with the campaign's "Zero Zika" slogan printed on it, Rousseff visited Rio de Janeiro's working class neighbourhood of Zeppelin.
She was accompanied by Mayor Eduardo Paes and Rio de Janeiro state governor Luiz Fernando Pezao.
To attract the attention of commuters at Rio's main train station, an army band played Michael Jackson music while soldiers distributed flyers with information on how to eliminate the mosquito's breeding places
Outside world famous Maracana Stadium Japanese tourist Noko Sudrura said that although she was concerned with the Zika virus she came to Brazil anyway because she wanted to see Carnival.
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