Guinean Ebola survivors’ mortality rates five times higher than the general population

The long-term effects of surviving Ebola are still largely unknown, but new research suggests that survivors have much higher mortality rates than the general population. Researchers tracked most of the 1,270 Guinean survivors of the 2013-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, and 59 of them died during a 22-month follow-up period. During the first 13 months of follow-up, the mortality rate of around 5% was roughly five times the rate expected of the general population in Guinea, although there were no discernible differences during the subsequent months. Those who were hospitalized for at least 12 days for treatment had a slightly higher mortality rate than those who had shorter stays. More than half of the deaths seemed to be due to renal failure. Scientists behind the study called for more research into the relationship between surviving Ebola and kidney health.