Ebola Survivors Could Face Further Health Complications

A weekly newsletter featuring the biggest ideas from the smartest people

I think we can all agree that not dying of Ebola is a good thing. At least 15,000 people survived the scare of their lives during the past year’s Ebola crisis, and we’re all very happy they’re still with us. Unfortunately though, it appears surviving the disease doesn’t come without complications. A new BBC report explains:

“Many Ebola survivors are likely to face further health issues including eye and joint problems, the World Health Organization has warned.

And a recent case may have caught Ebola through sexual contact with someone who had recovered, experts said.”

Here are the facts: Medical professionals in West Africa are setting up health clinics to investigate and treat the lasting complications of the disease. Ebola survivors are reporting elevated instances of the aforementioned vision and joint problems, as well as general fatigue. Some medical investigators worry also that even after a male survivor has been deemed Ebola-free that the disease could exist in a latent form within his seminal fluid, thus putting sexual partners at risk.

Despite these complications, the WHO report features plenty of positives. The disease no longer poses a perilous threat internationally and relief efforts have eased the logistical issues that previously made fighting the disease difficult.