WHO advises against blood donations from people returning from Zika areas

The World Health Organization on Thursday advised countries against accepting blood donations from people who had travelled to regions affected by the Zika virus. "With the risk of incidence of new infections of Zika virus in many countries, and the potential linkage of the Zika virus infection with microcephaly and other clinical consequence, it is estimated as an appropriate precautionary measures to defer donors who return from areas with Zika virus outbreak," the WHO told AFP in a statement. Canada and Britain have already moved to protect their blood supplies.