WHO says women in countries hit hard by Zika should breastfeed

The World Health Organization says women in countries where Zika is prevalent should breastfeed their babies. The organization asserts there is no proof Zika can be spread to infants this way.

Zika has garnered global emergency status due its suspected connection to the devastating birth-defect microcephaly.

While Zika has been detected in the breast milk of two mothers, WHO says there have been no reports of babies infected by breast milk. Also, there have been no cases of infants suffering from severe neurological disorders after being infected with Zika post-birth. Scientist do not yet know how long Zika stays in breast milk or how much of the virus the milk contains.

"The benefits of breastfeeding for the infant and mother outweigh any potential risk of Zika virus transmission through breast milk," the WHO report reads.

The WHO will update their recommendations next month.

More articles on the Zika virus: 
Can researchers foil Zika-spreading mosquitoes by using bacteria as a Trojan horse?  
28 largest US public health departments urge Congress to approve Zika funding  
Why we should worry about men and Zika 

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