Zika virus link to deformity brain damage in babies confirmed

US health officials say there is now enough evidence that the zika virus can cause unusually small heads and brain damage in babies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say there is an established link between pregnant women catching zika and their babies developing microcephaly, as well as other neurological abnormalities.

Thomas Frieden of the CDC said: “There is no longer any doubt that Zika causes microcephaly. Never before in history has there been a situation where a bite from a mosquito can result in a devastating malformation.”