Savannah Guthrie Will Stay Away From Rio Olympics Over Zika Fears

NBC's “Today” anchor Savannah Guthrie announced she is pregnant and will stay behind for the network's coverage of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games due to the Zika virus outbreak.

Guthrie surprised her co-anchors with the announcement she is pregnant with her second child on Tuesday. The studio erupted in applause and colleagues hugged her before she revealed that she wouldn't travel to Rio de Janeiro, where a series of Zika virus cases have been reported.

"The doctors say that we shouldn't [go] because of the Zika virus," she said. “You're going to have to go to female beach volleyball without me!"

Zika virus has been linked to microcephaly -- a birth defect that causes abnormally small heads -- in babies born to mothers who are infected with the disease.

Guthrie will instead continue to anchor from the U.S. "We're going to be in the height of campaign season," she added.

Brazil, while also in the midst of dealing with political and economic turmoil, is struggling to convince travelers that proper precautions are in place to minimize the risk of contracting Zika.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised pregnant women against traveling to Rio de Janeiro for the Summer Olympics in February.

However, the World Health Organization said last month that it did not recommend postponing or canceling the Games.