Questions and Answers on Blood and Zika

This document, last updated on March 04, 2016, answers the following questions:

1. Can Zika virus be transmitted through donated blood?
2. What precautions should be taken to ensure that the blood supply is safe in countries where Zika infection is occurring?
3. What about blood donations in areas affected by Zika?
4. What measures may be considered for reducing the risk of Zika virus through blood transfusion in areas with active Zika virus transmission?
5. How could blood donations be tested for the presence of Zika virus?
6. Should countries prepare if they have Aedes mosquitoes but the Zika virus has not yet been found?