PEOPLE who have been infected with Covid could be at an increased risk of a developing a silent killer, a study suggests.
Canadian scientists said that those who have had Covid are more likely to develop new-onset type 2 diabetes.
The condition is often referred to as a silent killer, as symptoms can often be disguised as common ailments such as going to the toilet more often or feeling tired.
The new study found that people who caught the bug were up to 22 per cent more likely to develop diabetes within a year of the positive test.
The research adds to mounting evidence which suggests virus may be contributing growing diabetes crisis.
Previous research has suggested that Sars-CoV-2 infection may increase the risk of developing diabetes by damaging insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
Men who tested positive were 22 per cent more likely to develop the condition if they tested positive for Covid. Whereas women were only 17 per cent more likely, scientists found.
People who were so sick they were hospitalised were more than twice (100 per cent) as likely to received a diabetes diagnosis, compared with those who were not infected.
And those who were admitted to the intensive care unit were over three times (300 per cent) more likely to develop diabetes.
The study also suggested those who were jabbed were also less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
The mammoth rollout of vaccines across the UK means many already have some level of protection from the bug.
Jabs have been key in the fight against the bug, helping Brits come out of lockdown and protecting the population from serious illness.
The study, published in JAMA Network Open, used a large data set to compare diabetes diagnoses among more than 125,000 individuals who had tested positive for Covid in 2020 and 2021, against over 500,000 unexposed individuals during the same period.
Prof Kamlesh Khunti, Professor of Primary Care Diabetes and Vascular Medicine, University of Leicester, said: “This study is a well conducted very large study and takes account of a number of factors such as vaccination and deprivation status, but not ethnicity.
“Interestingly people who were vaccinated didn’t have a higher risk of diabetes which is a great message for the public.”
In the UK around 4.3million people have diabetes, with 90 per cent of those having type 2.
By 2030 it is predicted this number will rise to 5.5 million.
Type 2 is when the body does not produce enough insulin, or the body’s cells do not react to insulin.
It causes the body to lose control of blood sugar levels and patients can end up having limbs amputated or suffering strokes and heart attacks.
Two-thirds of the population are overweight, which raises their risk of the condition.
Type 1 diabetes means that the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin.
It’s a genetic condition that often shows up early in life.
Some small studies have suggested that rates of new type 1 diabetes diagnoses in children are higher in 2020 compared to average rates in previous years.
Type 2 diabetes is a common condition that causes the level of sugar in the blood to become too high.
Guidance states that many people have the condition without knowing, as symptoms don’t always make you feel unwell.
The main symptoms are:
If you are worried about any of your symptoms then you should see your doctor.
In the event of an emergency, always call 999 or go to your nearest A&E department.
