Covid-19 news: Infection linked to higher risk of developing diabetes – New Scientist
March 22, 2022
By Michael Le Page, Clare Wilson, Jessica Hamzelou, Sam Wong, Graham Lawton, Adam Vaughan, Conrad Quilty-Harper, Jason Arunn Murugesu, Layal Liverpool, Carissa Wong, Alex Wilkins and Alexandra Thompson
A pharmacist checks a customers blood sugar levels
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Covid-19 linked to a 46 per cent increased risk of type 2 diabetes
People who have had covid-19 within the past year may be more at risk of developing type 2 diabetes for the first time or being prescribed medication to manage their blood sugar levels.
Ziyad Al-Aly at the VA Saint Louis Health Care System in the US and his colleagues reviewed the medical records of 181,280 individuals who tested positive for covid-19 between March 2020 and September 2021, using data from the US Department of Veterans Affairs. The team compared the number of new diabetes cases among these veterans with that of more than 8 million people who had no evidence of a covid-19 infection. None of the participants had diabetes at the start of the study.
Covid-19 was linked to a 46 per cent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes or requiring blood-sugar-lowering medication, even among people with a mild or asymptomatic covid-19 infection.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body cannot make enough insulin or the hormone that is produced does not work properly. SARS-CoV-2 virus may inflame insulin-producing cells, decreasing their efficiency, Al-Aly told The Washington Post.
The link between covid-19 and type 2 diabetes was observed among all the participant groups, regardless of their sex, ethnicity or age, said Al-Aly.
In August 2020, a different team uncovered a link between covid-19 and type 1 diabetes in children, with four NHS trusts in London seeing around double the usual number of new cases during the early months of the pandemic. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body mistakenly attacks cells in the pancreas, causing no insulin to be produced.
Among adults, a team in Germany also recently linked covid-19 to a 28 per cent higher risk of type 2 diabetes.
Other coronavirus news
Pregnancy complications may be up to three times more likely among individuals who have tested positive for covid-19. Researchers analysed the medical records of 43,886 pregnant individuals in northern California between March 2020 and March 2021. Some pregnancy complications such as a preterm birth, clots and sepsis were up to three times more common among people who had a known covid-19 infection.
The most important thing people can do to protect themselves and their baby is to get vaccinated, co-author Mara Greenberg at The Permanente Medical Group said in a statement.
The number of people with covid-19 in Scottish hospitals has reached a record high, with 2128 cases on 20 March, surpassing the previous peak of 2053 in January. This comes after Scotland recently lifted many of its covid-19 restrictions. Not everyone with SARS-CoV-2 in hospital is necessarily admitted for covid-19.
Chinese officials have locked down 9 million people who live in the northeast city Shenyang amid the countrys current omicron wave. China reported 8024 cases yesterday.
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Covid-19: The story of a pandemic
New Scientist Weekly features updates and analysis on the latest developments in the covid-19 pandemic. Our podcast sees expert journalists from the magazine discuss the biggest science stories to hit the headlines each week from technology and space, to health and the environment.
The Jump is a BBC Radio 4 series exploring how viruses can cross from animals into humans to cause pandemics. The first episode examines the origins of the covid-19 pandemic.
Why Is Covid Killing People of Colour? is a BBC documentary, which investigates what the high covid-19 death rates in ethnic minority patients reveal about health inequality in the UK.
Panorama: The Race for a Vaccine is a BBC documentary about the inside story of the development of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine against covid-19.
Race Against the Virus: Hunt for a Vaccine is a Channel 4 documentary which tells the story of the coronavirus pandemic through the eyes of the scientists on the frontline.
The New York Times is assessing the progress in development of potential drug treatments for covid-19, and ranking them for effectiveness and safety.
Humans of COVID-19 is a project highlighting the experiences of key workers on the frontline in the fight against coronavirus in the UK, through social media.
Belly Mujinga: Searching for the Truth is a BBC Panorama investigation of the death of transport worker Belly Mujinga from covid-19, following reports she had been coughed and spat on by a customer at Londons Victoria Station.
Coronavirus, Explained on Netflix is a short documentary series examining the coronavirus pandemic, the efforts to fight it and ways to manage its mental health toll.
Stopping the Next Pandemic: How Covid-19 Can Help Us Save Humanity by Debora Mackenzie is about how the pandemic happened and why it will happen again if we dont do things differently in future.
The Rules of Contagion is about the new science of contagion and the surprising ways it shapes our lives and behaviour. The author, Adam Kucharski, is an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK, and in the book he examines how diseases spread and why they stop.
A Pfizer/BioNTech covid-19 vaccine injection
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The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is thought to have helped an immunocompromised person clear the covid-19 virus
Two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine are thought to have cleared the SARS-CoV-2 virus from a person who first tested positive more than 7 months earlier. This is the first known time a covid-19 vaccine has been used to treat, rather than prevent, the infection.
Ian Lester has the rare genetic disease Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, which weakens the immune system. Lester, 37, first tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in December 2020. His immune system was unable to fight off the infection naturally for at least 218 days.
Given the persistent positive PCR tests and impact on his health and mental health, we decided on a unique therapeutic approach, said Stephen Jolles at Cardiff Universitys School of Medicine in a statement.
We administered two doses of the BioNTech Pfizer vaccine, one month apart, and very quickly saw a strong antibody response, much stronger than had been induced by the prolonged natural infection.
Lester was confirmed to have cleared SARS-CoV-2 72 days after the first vaccine dose and 218 days after his infection was detected.
To our knowledge, this is the first time mRNA vaccination has been used to clear persistent COVID-19 infection, said Mark Ponsford, at Cardiff University.
Other coronavirus news
England has rolled out a booster jab programme for people aged 75 and over, care home residents and people aged 12 and over who have a weakened immune system. The Office for National Statistics estimates one in 20 people in England had covid-19 in the week ending 12 March. It is hoped that the booster programme will protect people amid surging cases of the omicron BA.2 sublineage. Similar boosters are already being administered to some groups in Scotland and Wales.
China reported two covid-19 related deaths on 19 March, its first official covid-19 fatalities since January 2021. Both people died of underlying medical conditions, with mild covid-19 symptoms, according to Jiao Yahui at Chinas National Health Commission. The deaths occurred in the province Jilin, where more than two-thirds of the countrys cases have been reported amid its current covid-19 wave. On 19 March, Chinas reported new infections hit a rolling seven-day average of 2333 infections.
A police officer wearing personal protective equipment in Manzhouli, China
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Covid-19 is surging in China, with more than 5000 new cases a day
China yesterday reported 5280 new SARS-CoV-2 cases, more than double the previous days count and its highest daily tally since the start of the pandemic. The surge has prompted the introduction of full or partial lockdowns in various cities across the country.
China has been pursuing a strict zero covid strategy, which until recently had largely kept outbreaks under control. The omicron variant, however, is more transmissible than previous variants and is probably driving the current surge.
Cities across the country are now in full or partial lockdowns. The north-east province Jilin is the worst affected, accounting for more than 3000 of Chinas new reported cases on 15 March. Speaking on 14 March, Jilins governor vowed to achieve community zero-Covid in a week.
Chinas rising cases correspond with a global increase in SARS-CoV-2 transmission. A World Health Organization report reveals the number of new reported infections between 7 and 13 March increased by eight per cent compared to the previous week. The number of new weekly cases had been declining since the end of January.
Other coronavirus news
Face covering rules in Scotland will remain in place until April. On 15 March, Scotland reported 38,770 new covid cases, up from a daily average of 6,900 three weeks ago. As a result, coverings will continue to be required on public transport and in shops, although other covid restrictions will be lifted on 21 March. The BA.2 omicron sublineage, which is even more transmissible than the initial omicron variant, accounts for 80 per cent of Scotlands SARS-CoV-2 cases, according to first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who added it is prudent to keep mask rules in place. A small study has linked covid-19 with cardiovascular changes among unvaccinated people without any pre-existing medical conditions. Fbio Santos de Lira from So Paulo State University and his colleagues looked at 38 people, aged 20 to 40, less than six months after they were infected with SARS-CoV-2. Even mild or moderate infections were linked to cardiovascular changes that resulted in a raised heart rate, which affected some of the participantss ability to climb stairs or walk.
Commuters exit a London Overground train, Liverpool Street, London
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Nearly 400,000 people in the UK tested positive for the coronavirus last week
Government statistics show 399,820 people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the UK between 5 and 11 March, an increase of 143,956 (56.3 per cent) on the previous seven days. Between 1 and 7 March, hospitalisations increased by 16.9 per cent from the previous week. Deaths within 28 days of a positive test are rising more slowly, with a week-on-week increase of 2.8 per cent as of 11 March. Easing restrictions, waning immunity and the more transmissible omicron sublineage BA.2 are thought to be driving the surge in cases.
Amid the rise in infections, ministers have been criticised for scrapping Englands React study at the end of March. React randomly tests about 150,000 people across the country for SARS-CoV-2 each month to gauge nationwide infection levels. Talking to The Guardian, one scientist called the move about as far from following the science as you can get, while another accused ministers of turning off the headlights at the first sight of dawn.
Ministers are also being urged to consider offering older people a fourth vaccine dose. In England, people with a suppressed immune system, living in a care home or aged 75 or older are set to be offered an additional jab in April. Some scientists are calling for the age requirement to be set lower. However, a small Israeli study of healthcare workers found a fourth dose increased some antibody levels, but this did not translate into boosted immunity.
Other coronavirus news
Chinas covid-19 cases have doubled in 24 hours amid its worst outbreak in two years. Nearly 3400 new cases were reported on 13 March, double the previous day. This has prompted schools to shut in Shanghai, Chinas biggest city, and regional lockdowns to be introduced in several north-eastern hotspots. The surge in cases is thought to be driven by omicron and a rise in asymptomatic infections.
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Laboratory culture system using VeroE6 cells tested negative for covid-19.
Rockett et al, 2022
The monoclonal antibody sotrovimab has been linked to a drug-resistant mutation in SARS-CoV-2.
A study in Australia suggests that sotrovimab, a treatment for covid, may cause the coronavirus to acquire mutations that enable it to resist the drug.
Sotrovimab neutralises SARS-CoV-2s spike protein, which the virus uses to enter cells. Given through a drip, sotrovimab can be administered to people within five days of their infection to prevent symptoms from becoming severe.
Rebecca Rockett from the University of Sydney and her colleagues reviewed the first 100 people who received sotrovimab at a healthcare facility in New South Wales between August and November 2021, when the delta variant of the virus was dominant. Eight of the people who were treated persistently tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and had airway samples collected before and after they received sotrovimab.
In four of these patients, SARS-CoV-2 developed spike mutations between six and 13 days after sotrovimab was administered, with these genetic changes making the drug effectively inactive, said Rockett, as reported in The Guardian.
The researchers are calling for increased genomic surveillance around sotrovimabs use. What we dont want to see is resistant virus disseminating in the community, because that will mean that a lot of other people cant use this drug as well, said Rockett.
Other coronavirus news
The WHO has warned the pandemic is far from over. The number of global recorded deaths between 28 February and 6 March declined by 8 per cent compared to the previous week, with recorded infections also falling by 5 per cent. Although reported cases and deaths are declining globally, and several countries have lifted restrictions, the pandemic is far from over and it will not be over anywhere until its over everywhere, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHOs director-general, said on 9 March. The virus continues to evolve, and we continue to face major obstacles in distributing vaccines, tests and treatments everywhere they are needed.
A surveillance programme that looks for SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater has been rolled out across Northern Ireland, the BBC reported. Wastewater samples from 31 sites are being collected every day and sent to a Queens University Belfast laboratory for testing. Gauging infection levels in specific areas may help to prevent large SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks, with the technology also looking for new variants.
Students queuing up for covid-19 nucleic acid tests, Qingdao, Shandong province, China
Wei Zhe/VCG via Getty Images
Covid deaths and new infections are continuing to decline after the peak of the omicron surge
The number of global recorded covid deaths between 28 February and 6 March declined by 8 per cent compared to the previous week. In its weekly update, the WHO reported the number of recorded new SARS-CoV-2 infections also decreased by 5 per cent week-on-week.
In the week starting 28 February, more than 10 million new covid cases and 52,000 deaths were reported across the WHOs six regions.
Case numbers only increased in the Western Pacific Region, rising by 46 per cent. Covid deaths rose in the Western Pacific and Eastern Mediterranean regions, by 29 per cent and 2 per cent, respectively, with fatalities falling elsewhere.
The surge in infection caused by the omicron variant appears to have peaked in February. But the WHO has stressed that countries vary in their testing strategies and therefore any trends should be interpreted with caution.
Other coronavirus news
However, in the UK, reported coronavirus cases have increased by nearly two-fifths week-on-week. According to government data,322,917 people reported a positive test between 2 and 8 March, an increase of 90,944 (39.2 per cent) from the previous week. Hospital covid admissions are also rising, with 8763 people admitted between 26 February and 4 March, an increase of 11.1 per cent from the previous week. Deaths have slightly declined, however. Between 2 and 8 March, 729 people died within 28 days of a positive test, 12 (1.6 per cent) fewer than the previous week.
The number of cancer research studies funded in the UK fell by 32 per cent in the first year of the pandemic, according to figures from the National Cancer Research Institute. The money awarded to these projects plunged by 57 per cent, The Guardian reports. The closing of charity shops and cancelled fundraising events are thought to have contributed to the problem.
Covid-19 booster jab information campaign, Putney, London, UK
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Booster jabs substantially increased protection against omicron but efficacy starts to fall after two months
The protection given by vaccine booster shots against the omicron variant starts to decline after two months, a study has found.
Researchers at the UK Health Security Agency looked at covid-19 infections in the UK between 27 November 2021 and 12 January 2022 the period in which the omicron variant started to spread widely. The data included over one million people who had been infected with either the delta or omicron variant.
The researchers only looked at whether people developed a mild illness and not whether someone was hospitalised or not.
They found that a booster dose substantially increased protection against developing mild illness from the omicron variant. Two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine were only 8.8 per cent effective against the omicron variant after 25 or more weeks. But a third booster dose of this vaccine increased protection to 67.2 per cent. However, this then dropped to 45.7 per cent after 10 or more weeks.
A Moderna booster, given to those who had received two initial doses of the Pfizer jab, was 73.9 per cent effective against mild illness from the omicron variant after two to four weeks. This then dropped to 64.4 per cent after five to nine weeks.
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Covid-19 news: Infection linked to higher risk of developing diabetes - New Scientist
