WHO cites 'accumulating evidence' of Zika link to disorders

Jackeline, 26, holds her son Daniel who is 4-months old and born with microcephaly, in front of their house in Olinda (Copyright Reuters 2016)

Vanessa, feeds her daughter Valentina, who is 5-months old and born with microcephaly, with a bottle under a mosquito net, inside their house in Jaboatao (Copyright Reuters 2016)

There is "accumulating evidence" of a link between the Zika virus and two neurological disorders, microcephaly and Guillain-Barre syndrome, a senior World Health Organization official said on Friday.

Dr. Bruce Aylward, WHO Executive Director for Outbreaks and Health Emergencies, said that recently published studies in the Lancet on microcephaly and by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on Guillain-Barre had strengthened the case that the mosquito-borne Zika virus is responsible.

"Since the public health emergency of international concern was declared (by WHO) back in February, the evidence that there may be a causal relationship has continued to accumulate," Aylward told a news briefing in Geneva.