Scientists fear coronavirus may trigger diabetes in previously healthy people - here's what that means

As we continue to learn new things about the novel coronavirus still wreaking havoc on the planet, experts are now warning that the virus may be triggering diabetes in people who were otherwise healthy before they contracted Covid-19.

17 leading clinicians from around the world penned an open letter to The New England Journal of Medicine last week, which revealed the condition had been repeatedly diagnosed in coronavirus-positive patients.

Despite their claims, the authors of the letter admit it remains unclear how the two may be interlinked.

Francesco Rubino, professor of metabolic surgery at King’s College London and co-lead on the registry, said: “We are of course trying to understand what situation is behind the observations.”

How does it work?

Previous research has shown that ACE-2 – the protein to which the coronavirus appears to bind – is not only located in the lungs but also in organs like the pancreas, small intestine, liver and kidneys.

These organs are all involved in glucose metabolism, and scientists hypothesise that if the virus attaches to these organs, it could cause multiple dysfunctions.

This Could lead to the onset of diabetes in some cases.