COVID-19 could trigger the onset of diabetes in people who were healthy before they became infected, researchers have said.

Previous research has found people with diabetes had a higher chance of dying if they contracted coronavirus with between 20 to 30 per cent of COVID deaths linked to the condition.

But now, there is evidence to suggest the killer-virus could potentially lead to a diagnosis in diabetes-free people.

The finding comes after 17 of the world’s top diabetes experts came together to launch a global register which will track and measure new cases of diabetes among people who become infected with the coronavirus.

The aim of the CoviDiab Registry project is to investigate the main characteristics of diabetes in people with COVID-19, and to try to find the best treatment strategies for them during the pandemic.

Francesco Rubino, Professor of Metabolic Surgery at King’s College London and co-lead investigator of the CoviDiab Registry project, said: “Diabetes is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases and we are now realizing the consequences of the inevitable clash between two pandemics.

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