Five million antibody kits are on standby for the NHS after a SECOND test was approved by officials - Daily Mail

Five million antibody kits are on standby for the NHS after a SECOND test that shows if you've had coronavirus was approved by officials

• The new test produced by Abbott has been approved by Public Health England
• It is the second test to be ratified in two days after one by Roche Diagnostics
• The Department of Health is in talks with both firms to use in its test programme 
• Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

By Ben Spencer for the Daily Mail

Published: 22:28 BST, 14 May 2020 | Updated: 00:16 BST, 15 May 2020

Five million coronavirus antibody kits are on standby for NHS use after a second test was approved by health officials.

The new test – produced by medical giant Abbott – has been given the green light by Public Health England as spotting 100 per cent of those who have had the virus.

It is the second antibody test to be ratified in two days, following the approval of a kit made by Roche Diagnostics. Abbott last night said it had already started shipping equipment to NHS laboratories in preparation for the tests to be given to the first recipients within days.

A spokesman for the firm said it had capacity to provide five million tests a month to the UK ‘with immediate effect’.

Medical giant Abbott has produced the second coronavirus antibody test kit to be ratified in two days with five million kits currently on standby for the NHS

The test has been given the green light by Public Health England as spotting 100 per cent of those who have had the virus, after a test made by Roche Diagnostics was also approved

They are the first antibody tests to be ratified as accurate by Public Health England, after weeks of disappointments. The tests detect whether someone has had the virus and then recovered – which could indicate they may be immune.

The Department of Health is in conversations with both firms about incorporating the kits into its testing programme, with NHS staff likely to be first to get access. The Abbott test is also being sold privately for home use by health tech firm Babylon for £69.

Home use of the test – which uses a spot of blood from a finger prick rather than a full blood sample – has only been confirmed as accurate by an independent lab, and not yet by Public Health England.

PHE said the ratification of the two tests performed in its labs was a ‘very positive development’.

Both are likely to be used in the ‘test, track and trace’ programme being launched next week, in which anyone who has been in contact with a coronavirus patient will be tested. Scientists last night stressed that although the two tests offer useful information about who has been infected, it is not yet clear what proportion of these people will be immune to the disease.

The idea of ‘immunity certificates’ has been shelved for now because of this, although No 10 said it was still exploring it.

Hopes have run high since March that antibody tests could allow employees to return to work.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock ordered 3.5million tests but it turned out the best of them could spot only 70 per cent of those who had been infected. The new tests resolve that problem by using proven lab-based technology, rather than the ‘pregnancy-test’ style kits Mr Hancock had pinned his hopes on. They also generate very few ‘false positives’ – which means indicating someone has been infected when they have not.

Professor Matt Keeling, of the University of Warwick, said: ‘This could be a complete game-changer.’ It is expected that both tests will eventually be available for free as part of the national testing programme, though it is not clear whether people will be able to simply order them.

What are the coronavirus antibody tests? 

 What are the tests?

Antibody tests detect those who’ve recovered from Covid.

How are they done?

The two ratified tests use a vial of blood, taken via needle by a nurse then processed in a lab.

How can I get one?

They will initially be for NHS staff but are likely to be used in the ‘contact tracing’ scheme.

Will it say I’m immune?

At least 95 per cent of people with the antibodies retain some protection – but it is not clear if this lasts weeks or years.

Why are they useful?

To track the virus and help find out how many have had it.

Are they accurate?

Both catch 100 per cent of cases where someone has had Covid and give few ‘false positives’.

'Game-changing' antibody test will go to NHS frontline workers first and could be rolled out in 'days', government advisor says

• New Roche antibody tests will be made available to frontline workers first
• The tests, which are 100% accurate, will then be rolled out across the UK 
• Test determines if patient was exposed to Covid-19 and developed antibodies
• Health Department in talks with Swiss pharmaceutical firm to buy millions of kits 

Frontline workers, including those in the NHS, will be the first to get a new antibody test for Covid-19, England's deputy chief medical officer has said.

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam said it was clear that people who had Covid-19 generated an antibody response, but it would 'take time' to understand whether in all cases people developed immunity against coronavirus.

He said data needed to be gathered over time to understand whether any immune response offered life-long protection or just for a few years.

Public Health England (PHE) has approved a new test from the pharmaceutical giant Roche after experts at its Porton Down facility gave it the green light.

Professor Jonathan Van-Tam pictured during today's remote press conference to update the nation on the novel coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic. Van-Tam said it was clear that people who had Covid-19 generated an antibody response, but it would 'take time' to understand whether in all cases people developed immunity against coronavirus

Public Health England have announced that a new coronavirus antibody test by Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche has been found to be 100 per cent accurate. The FDA in America has already issued emergency use approval

The test - which Prime Minister Boris Johnson has previously called a 'game-changer' - picks up cases where somebody has had coronavirus in the past, and can be used on people who experienced no symptoms. Pictured: A drive-through test centre in Chessington

The test - which Prime Minister Boris Johnson has previously called a 'game-changer' - picks up cases where somebody has had coronavirus in the past, and can be used on people who experienced no symptoms.

Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche's test is 100 per cent accurate, meaning it will identity everyone who has had COVID-19. Experts are hopeful these people could be immune from catching the infection again for up to three years. 

WHY IS ANTIBODY TESTING IMPORTANT? 

WHAT IS AN ANTIBODY TEST?

Unlike tests to diagnose diseases, antibody tests show who has been infected and recovered.

The body makes antibodies in response to many illnesses and infections, including other coronaviruses. New blood tests are being developed to identify antibodies unique to SARS-CoV-2, the official name of the new coronavirus.

The tests look for two kinds of antibodies: immunoglobulin M (IgM) and G (IgG). The body quickly produces IgM antibodies for its initial attack against infections. It makes IgG antibodies more slowly and retains them longer; IgG antibodies suggest possible immunity.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RAPID TESTS AND ASSAYS?

Some companies are developing finger-prick tests that get results in minutes. These are called immunoassays and will form the basis of home testing kits.

Others are developing far more accurate tests called enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) that require sending blood samples to a lab for analysis.

HOW CAN ANTIBODY TESTS HELP END LOCKDOWNS?

Antibody tests can help calculate what portion of the population has already been infected, as well as whether infections were mild or severe.

Governments and companies could use antibody tests to determine who would most likely be safe to return to work and public interactions, and whether it is safe to lift stay-at-home orders all at once in some regions or in stages based on infection risk.

People with negative antibody tests or very low antibody levels would likely have higher risk of infection than people with high antibody levels.

DO ANTIBODIES TO THE NEW CORONAVIRUS CONFER IMMUNITY?

While antibodies to many infectious diseases typically confer some level of immunity, whether that is the case with this unique coronavirus is not yet known.

And how strong immunity might be, or how long it might last in people previously infected, is not clear. With some diseases like measles the immunity can be lifelong. With others, immunity can wane over time.

Scientists cannot know with certainty that reinfection is not possible until further research.

Antibody tests could inform not just lockdown exits, but the best approach to treatments and vaccines.

Ministers are now in talks with Roche to buy millions of the kits, which officials today announced would be given to NHS and social care workers first before being rolled out more widely. It requires blood samples to be taken by trained medics. 

Insiders say it is unlikely that the lab-based test, which isn't designed to give people a result in their own home, will be available to purchase privately, at least initially. It is not clear how much the tests could cost, if and when they can be purchased.

As well as the US, Germany also jumped ahead of Britain in the race to get the lab-based tests, ordering millions of the tests at the beginning of the month after the kit was granted the vital 'CE mark' that shows it is safe to use in Europe.

Antibody tests - which can require only a small amount of blood - are designed to tell if someone has contracted the virus in the past. They do not accurately tell if someone is currently infected.

They are considered key to easing lockdown because they paint the clearest picture about how widespread COVID-19 is. The true size of Britain's outbreak is a mystery because health chiefs abandoned a mass-testing regime early on in the crisis.

Prof Van-Tam said the test would be 'incredibly important' in the weeks and months ahead, telling the Number 10 press briefing: 'I anticipate that it will be rapidly rolled out in the days and weeks to come - as soon as it is practical.

'I also anticipate that the focus will be on the national health service and on carers in the first instance.'

Experts believe those who have had Covid-19 develop a degree of immunity, meaning the test could prove a useful tool for helping to ease lockdown restrictions.

Number 10 said the new antibody test would 'certainly' be available on the NHS, but commercial discussions with Roche are ongoing.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman said the idea of an 'immunity certificate' was also still under consideration if science showed that people developed immunity to Covid-19.

Professor John Newton, national coordinator of the UK Coronavirus Testing Programme, said although it was still unclear to what extent the presence of antibodies indicated immunity, the test was a 'very positive development' and was a 'very reliable marker of past infection'.

He added: 'This in turn may indicate some immunity to future infection, although the extent to which the presence of antibodies indicates immunity remains unclear.'

Roche said it could supply hundreds of thousands of the tests each week. The tests run on fully-automated equipment already widely installed by Roche at NHS sites across the UK.

Professor John Newton (pictured), national coordinator of the UK Coronavirus Testing Programme, said although it was still unclear to what extent the presence of antibodies indicated immunity, the test was a 'very positive development' and was a 'very reliable marker of past infection'

The pharmaceutical firm said it would prioritise tests for distribution via the NHS before looking at how they may be sold to individuals.

Professor Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at Oxford University, said the development of the antibody test was 'a good result'.

He told Radio 4's Today programme: 'It's a step in the right direction. In the evolution of these antibody tests, to get one that works really well is a major step forward.'

Sir John said antibodies 'stick around probably for a year or two', adding that the Roche test was the 'best approved test available on the market now'.

Health minister Edward Argar said the Government intends to roll out the new test to frontline workers first.

THE TIMELINE OF UK'S ANTIBODY TESTING DEVELOPMENTS 

March 25: Professor Sharon Peacock, the director of the national infection service at PHE, told MPs antibody kits would be ready within days.  

But confusion was sparked when chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty told revealed the tests would not be ready to buy online within days.  

March 26: Professor Yvonne Doyle, medical director at PHE, told MPs she expected home antibody tests to be available within a 'couple of weeks'.

April 1: In the Downing Street press conference, Professor Doyle disputed the claim that PHE was 'dragging its feet' in approving antibody tests. 

She said: 'The important thing about theses antibody tests, this is not a matter of dragging our feet, it’s important that the test is valid, that it does what it says it does.'

April 6: Sir John Bell, one of the Oxford University team evaluating antibody tests for the government, revealed none of them performed well.

April 17: The New York Times reported that Britain was seeking a £16million refund after two antibody tests it had bought from Chinese companies were not accurate enough to be rolled out.

April 21: University of Oxford experts published anonymised results of the nine tests the government had bought - they showed all were deemed too weak to use. 

Their sensitivity – ability to correctly spot people who had had the disease - ranged from 70 per cent to just 55 per cent.

May 3: US regulators gave the 'game-changing' antibody test made by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche the green light.

May 4: German health bosses announce a deal with Roche to buy 3million of its kits in May, as well as 5million per month from June. 

May 13: Public Health England follows suit, approving the test to be used. It was revealed that health chiefs were planning to buy millions.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Mr Argar said: 'It's only just gone through the Public Health England assessment as being reliable, as doing the job, and therefore we are having those discussions.

'But we are keen to get as many as quickly as we can and get them out, primarily to the front line first, the NHS, social care and then more widely.'

Mr Argar stressed that the public could not yet get their hands on the test, saying: 'We're not in a position yet to roll it out to the public and have those tests ready to go.'

A Department of Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: 'We are exploring the use of antibody testing across the NHS and ultimately the wider public.'

But Professor Matthew Baylis, an expert in veterinary epidemiology at the University of Liverpool, cast doubt on the test - suggesting it could produce false positive results and lead to people being reassured when they should not be. 

The findings have been hailed as a 'very positive development' in Britain's antibody testing plans, following weeks of disappointment regarding the promised roll-out of home DIY kits. 

Despite promising home tests, the UK has yet to approve any because health chiefs insist they can't find a DIY finger-prick kit accurate enough - despite only evaluating a handful of tests. 

One firm awarded millions of pounds by heath chiefs - Bedfordshire-based Mologic - hopes to have its kit ready for Britons to buy from online retailers such as Boots and Amazon for the start of June.

Sir John Bell, an immunologist at Oxford University involved in evaluating antibody kits for the government, today said the approval of the Roche test was a 'step in the right direction' but admitted approval takes 'longer than it should'.

He suggested officials wanted to be completely sure that the tests were accurate, telling BBC Radio 4 Today's programme: 'I think you have to be a bit cautious. It's taken a week or two longer than it might have.' 

'But remember when the home-based test came out and people were rushing around saying these are all terrific. We decided we should stop and pause and just make sure that they were what they were cut out to be.

'And when we tested them they of course didn't work, so I think you have to be a bit cautious. It's taken a week or two longer than it might have.'

Sir John added: 'This is not like the swab test where there is a certain urgency to get that in play. Once you get antibodies your antibodies stick around probably for a year or two.

'And all it tells you, just to be crystal clear, is whether you've had the infection or not, so in terms of treating patients where there is real urgency I think its less important.'

'To be clear, its the best approved test available on the market now but there will be further iterations of these tests because there are ways to make them better.'

Following the announcement today, shares for Roche - which is also carrying out swab tests for the government - rose slightly to 45,03 this morning, up slightly from the 44.86 recorded at the end of yesterday.

News of the test comes as:

• Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick admitted the situation in care homes was 'absolutely terrible' as the Government prepared to set out more details on how a £600 million package for infection control will be spent in England

• Some 126,064 tests were carried out on Wednesday.

• An average of 148,000 people in England had Covid-19 between April 27 and May 10 (lockdown period), according to new estimates by the Office for National Statistics - the equivalent of 0.27% of the population.

• Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said more than half of people on the Isle of Wight have now downloaded the NHS contact tracing app.

The findings come as A&E attendances and emergency admissions to hospitals in England have fallen to their lowest figure on record in the face of coronavirus.

Data published by NHS England shows 0.9 million A&E attendances were recorded in April 2020, down 57% from 2.1 million in April 2019.

The number is the lowest for any calendar month since current records began in August 2010.

NHS England, which published the figures, said the fall was 'likely to be a result of the Covid-19 response' - an indication that people have been staying away from A&E departments because of the coronavirus outbreak.

Emergency admissions to A&E departments at hospitals in England also showed a sharp fall last month, down 39% from 535,226 in April 2019 to 326,581 in April 2020.

This is the lowest number reported for any calendar month since current records began.

Data on all cancer referrals also showed a drop of 8%.

Following the announcement today, shares for Roche rose slightly to 44.95, the highest in several weeks, according to Yahoo! Finance

Some 181,873 urgent cancer referrals were made by GPs in England in March 2020, down from 198,418 in March 2019.

Urgent breast cancer referrals showed a bigger drop - down from 17,137 in March 2019 to 12,411 in March 2020, a fall of 28%.

Lynda Thomas, chief executive of Macmillan Cancer Support, said: 'Cancer must not become the forgotten 'C' in this pandemic.

'Government guidance for urgent cancer services to continue during the virus did not happen uniformly and now it is vital that we see comprehensive plans for how the NHS will catch up.'

Admissions for all routine surgery in hospitals in England in March 2020 totalled 207,754, compared with 305,356 in March 2019 - a drop of 32%.

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2020-05-14 23:35:54Z
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No 10 bails out Transport for London to stop Sadiq Khan's bus and tube shutdown - The Times

London’s transport system was handed a £1.6 billion government bailout last night after the capital’s mayor threatened to cut bus and Tube services.

Downing Street announced that Transport for London (TfL) would receive a £1.1 billion grant and a further £505 million loan after claims that it was close to running out of cash. Sadiq Khan had demanded £2 billion.

The mayor of London was told that the money would come with “many strings attached”, including a guarantee that transport services would be running at 100 per cent capacity as soon as possible.

The Tube, bus and overground networks in the capital will also be forced to carry the government’s official coronavirus public health warnings — rather than alternative messaging championed by the mayor —

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2020-05-14 23:00:00Z
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Couple who reported man and woman tell of their horror after police found human TORSO in suitcase - Daily Mail

‘Shaken’ couple who reported man and woman acting suspiciously in a forest tell of their horror after police swooped and found they had a human TORSO in a suitcase

• Woman and man have been arrested on suspicion of murder after police found a human torso in a suitcase
• Couple were taken into custody late on Tuesday and a vehicle was also seized, says Gloucestershire Police  
• Detectives have this afternoon been given a 36-hour extension to continue questioning the two suspects 
• Gemma and David Greenway called police after seeing suspicious activity behind their former sawmill  
• Mrs Greenway wrote on Facebook: 'I’m just so glad David spotted him acting suspiciously and reported it'

By Tom Pyman For Mailonline and Katie Weston For Mailonline and Rebecca Camber Chief Crime Correspondent For The Daily Mail

Published: 22:40 BST, 14 May 2020 | Updated: 22:55 BST, 14 May 2020

Advertisement

A 'shaken' couple who reported a man and woman acting suspiciously behind their former sawmill in the Forest of Dean have told of their horror after police swooped and found a human torso in a suitcase.

The grisly find was made in Gloucestershire late on Tuesday night and investigating officers believe there is one female victim. Detectives have been given an extra 36 hours to question a man in his 30s from Wolverhampton and a woman in her 20s from Birmingham on suspicion of murder.

Gemma and David Greenway, who live on the outskirts of Coleford, said they had seen the man entering a lorry trailer yard near their home. Mrs Greenway, 37, who runs a grooming salon and breeds dogs with her husband, said she was ‘shaken’ by the horrific find.

‘I’m just so glad that David spotted him acting suspiciously and reported it,’ she told a local Facebook site.

The couple were arrested after being found on the English-Welsh border with two suitcases containing the human torso and remains. They were taken into custody that evening and both are still being questioned. A vehicle was also seized.

Three forensic tents, pictured today, are still in place at the entrance to the quarry on the closed A4136 in Gloucestershire, where human remains were found on Tuesday night

A map, pictured, shows where a man and a woman were arrested on the England-Welsh border after a human torso was found in a suitcase

A road closure is still in place and police remain at the scene today, pictured, after a torso was allegedly found in a suitcase

A police search team have today been scouring through woodland, pictured, next to Stowfield Quarry in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire Police officers, pictured today at the scene, continue to investigate as a man and a woman remain in custody

A car is pictured on the closed A4136 outside of Coleford, Forest of Dean today as police continue working on a murder investigation

Dozens of police officers have taken part in the investigation, which has seen woodland thoroughly searched, pictured

A huge police cordon, inside which officers continue to search today, has seen a fishery and a former sawmill, which now contains storage units, several houses and a campsite, all closed off, as well as the entrance to Stowfield Quarry, which is around a mile-and-a-half in length.

A roadblock is in place along the A4136 between Monmouth and Coleford as forensic testing is ongoing to identify the victim, alongside a post-mortem examination.

Gloucestershire Police was today granted a 36-hour magistrates' extension, on top of a 12-hour extension previously approved, to continue questioning the two suspects, following their arrests around the time of the discovery at 11.30pm on Tuesday. 

A spokesman said: 'Due to the ongoing investigation road closures and scene guards are likely to remain in place for at least the rest of today. We would like to thank local residents and those impacted by the cordons for their patience during this time.' 

Police sealed off a large area and three tents were erected at the entrance to Stowfield Quarry, which is accessed via the B4228. 

One resident said yesterday: 'The tents weren't there when I went out this morning but they had appeared by the time I got back. I don't know what's going on but they say I can't even walk along the road. 

'Somebody said they had found a body and the police say the road will be closed all day.'

Another resident who lives within the cordon said: 'I don't know what's happening.

'I didn't notice anything until I drove down the road and came to the road block. I asked if I could go through and they said yes but I might not be able to get back in again. One of the officers said the road might be closed for a few days so it must be serious.'

The quarry is on Staunton Road and the closed section also contains a fishery, a former sawmill which now contains storage units, several houses and a campsite. 

Police continue to search through woodland today, pictured, after two people were arrested on the English-Welsh border

Two people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after human remains were found in the Forest of Dean at around 11.30pm on Tuesday

Police were pictured at the  entrance road to Stowfield Quarry as a murder investigation was launched near Coleford yesterday

The discovery was made at the entrance to the Stowfield Quarry and a large area remains cordoned off on the outskirts of Coleford, Gloucestershire

Police were pictured at the entrance road to Stowfield Quarry yesterday as the investigation continues into its second full day

One resident said: 'The tents weren't there when I went out this morning but they had appeared by the time I got back. I don't know what's going on but they say I can't even walk along the road'

The main A4136 from Cinderford to Monmouth was blocked off at the bottom of the hill at Monmouth and there was a further roadblock at the Coleford traffic lights.

The roadblock at the lights was stopping traffic from Monmouth and Staunton turning right into Coleford or heading past the fishery to Berry Hill and beyond.

Both blocked-off sections of road would have caused chaos on a normal working day and key workers had to find detours through the lanes. 

Senior Investigating Officer DCI John Turner said: 'The nature of this incident is distressing and we're working around the clock to fully understand what has happened.

'Someone's life has been lost and our priority is to identify the victim and get answers for her family.

'Searches have taken place in the surrounding area for evidence gathering and contrary to media reports no remains have been found as part of these searches.

'Our Major Crime Investigation Team is working in collaboration with the West Midlands Police homicide team to carry out further enquiries.'

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2020-05-14 22:44:04Z
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Coronavirus UK: A quarter of patients who died had diabetes - Daily Mail

A QUARTER of all COVID-19 patients who died in hospitals in England had diabetes, NHS figures reveal

• NHS England has published a breakdown of deaths by pre-existing conditions 
• Some 26 per cent of people who have died since March 31 had diabetes
• The chronic condition affects some four million Britons and may lower immunity
• Figures show that almost one fifth of COVID-19 hospital victims had dementia
• Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

By Vanessa Chalmers Health Reporter For Mailonline

Published: 16:49 BST, 14 May 2020 | Updated: 19:42 BST, 14 May 2020

A quarter of COVID-19 patients who have died in hospitals in England had diabetes, according to official figures.

For the first time, NHS England has published a breakdown of deaths by pre-existing conditions. Only five per cent of victims didn't have an underlying issue.

Of the 22,332 patients who died since March 31, when pre-existing conditions began to be reported, some 5,873 (26 per cent) of patients had diabetes.

The condition - affecting around 4million Britons - makes people more susceptible to developing infections.

High blood sugar levels can weaken the patient's immune system defense, making it slower to respond to viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. 

It's also closely connected with obesity, which has been recognised as potential risk factors for suffering severe COVID-19 complications. 

Doctors today said diabetics would have better COVID-19 outcomes if they managed their condition properly. 

NHS England figures also revealed almost one fifth of COVID-19 victims in hospitals had dementia and 15 per cent had COPD. 

A quarter of COVID-19 patients who have died in hospitals in England had diabetes, according to official figures from NHS England. Almost one fifth of COVID-19 victims in hospitals had dementia and 15 per cent had COPD

The Government's official death tally shows that 33,614 people have died of COVID-19 in the UK, including 24,100 in hospitals in England.   

From today, the NHS has started to publish rolling information on the conditions of COVID-19 victims. 

Of those that have occurred since March 31 (22,332), 5,873 patients who died were suffering from diabetes.

Diabetes is a common condition affecting an estimated one in 16 people in the UK. That includes both diagnosed and undiagnosed people.

WHY DOES DIABETES RAISE THE RISK OF COVID-19? 

Diabetes puts people at a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 because it makes the immune system weaker, scientists say.

The illness, which affects more than four million people in the UK, is caused by abnormal levels of sugar in the blood. For most people this takes the form of Type 2 diabetes, in which there is too much sugar in the blood.

This, researchers, say, thickens the blood and reduces its ability to carry substances around the body at speed.

Dr Hajira Dambha-Miller, a GP and specialist in diabetes, said a patient's blood becomes 'like treacle' as a result of high sugar levels.

'Physically, it's harder for the immune system to get to the virus,' she said. 'The virus bugs do a lot of damage before the immune system even realises it's there.'

Therefore, when someone is infected with the coronavirus, it may take longer for their body to respond and fight it off, and the response may be less effective when it does begin.

Their illness doesn't make a diabetic person any more likely to catch the virus itself - that is indiscriminate - just less likely to be able to recover quickly.

Dr Dambha-Miller added: 'When the body does kick in, it won't work as it should do. The immune cells are damaged because they've been saturated in sugar for years and don't work the way they should.'  

The American Diabetes Association says it's not clear if COVID-19 will pose a difference in risk between type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

But the risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 is likely to be lower if diabetes is well-managed no matter whether it is type 1 or type 2.

The Association explains that people who have diabetes often have other health problems, such as obesity, heart disease or high blood pressure, which in turn contribute more to their risk of dying with COVID-19.

The ADA said: 'Having heart disease or other complications in addition to diabetes could worsen the chance of getting seriously ill from COVID-19, like other viral infections, because your body’s ability to fight off an infection is compromised.

'Viral infections can also increase inflammation, or internal swelling, in people with diabetes. This is also caused by above-target blood sugars, and both could contribute to more severe complications.' 

People of black African or Caribbean, or south Asian, backgrounds are more likely to develop diabetes and have also been found to be at more risk of dying if they catch the coronavirus.

Dr Hajira Dambha-Miller, a GP and specialist in diabetes, said she was not surprised by the data.

She told MailOnline: 'People with diabetes are more susceptible to infections, even if we are not in the middle of a pandemic.

'Diabetes leads to greater susceptibility to infection because there is more sugar for bugs to grow on and chronic inflammation means the immune system is slower to clear it.'

Dr Dambha-Miller said when someone has diabetes, their blood becomes 'like treacle' as a result of high sugar levels.

'Physically, it's harder for the immune system to get to the virus,' she said. 'The virus bugs do a lot of damage before the immune system even realises it's there.

'When the body does kick in, it won't work as it should do. The immune cells are damaged because they've been saturated in sugar for years and don't work the way they should.' 

Management of diabetes is notoriously difficult. It involves dealing with short term events, such as high and low blood sugar, as well as understanding how to cope with the condition in the long term.  

NHS England did not specify whether those who died had type 1 and type 2 diabetes. But experts say the risks of adverse outcomes from COVID-19 is likely to be lower if either type are well-managed.

Dr Damnha-Miller said: 'The better the sugar control, the better the outcomes for people with diabetes. If people are really careful about sugar control, over the long term, this will be helpful in improving outcomes. There is tonnes of evidence on this from everyday infections like flu or colds.' 

Diabetes is linked to obesity and ethnicity - both of which have independently been identified as risk factors for COVID-19 disease severity. 

Nine in ten of diabetics are type 2, which is offset by an unhealthy lifestyle. Rising diagnoses of type 2 diabetes parallels soaring obesity levels. 

Ethnicity plays a big role in the prevalence of diabetes - it is four times more prevalent in Bangladeshi and Indian people.  

Pakistani women are five times more likely to develop diabetes, and Indian have an increased risk of 2.5-fold, according to the charity Diabetes.co.uk. 

Generally speaking diabetes prevalence is often six times higher for people of South Asian origin and three times higher for those of African origin.  

Emerging evidence linking obesity and ethnicity with COVID-19 has prompted an investigation by Public Health England. 

A major study in Glasgow last week found obesity may double the risk of needing hospitalisation for COVID-19. 

Dr Hajira Dambha-Miller, a GP and specialist in diabetes, said better management of the disease would improve outcomes. Stock: Glucometer used to manage the condition 

EIGHT MILLION BRITS WITH HEALTH CONDITIONS 'SHOULD BE EXEMPT FROM RETURNING TO WORK' 

Eight million Britons with underlying health conditions should be exempt from going back to work when the coronavirus lockdown eases, scientists say.

Experts at University College London and Cambridge University fear not protecting society's most vulnerable could see UK's death toll rise to 73,000 within a year.

One in five people - more than 8million people in Britain - are at a higher risk of dying if they catch COVID-19 because of their age or poor health.  

But most of this group are not deemed 'extremely clinically vulnerable' people, who were asked to 'shield' for 12 weeks by the Department of Health. 

Britons with long-term conditions such as heart disease and diabetes would make up between 80 and 90 per cent of the fatalities, the researchers calculated.

And they said it means another 30,000 Brits could die unless everyone at high-risk is protected for as long as possible and not forced back to work post lockdown. 

In a separate, worst-case scenario estimate they predicted up to 590,000 deaths if the government did nothing and 80 per cent of the population were infected within a year.  

Office for National Statistics data today suggested more than 40,000 people have already died with COVID-19, confirming Britain's status as the worst-hit nation in Europe. But the researchers said this is set to rise much higher. 

If 10 per cent of people in England are allowed to catch the virus, the scientists said - and four per cent are already thought to have done so - the death toll could double. 

Lead author Dr Amitava Banerjee, of the UCL Institute of Health Informatics, said: 'I don’t think they should be rushing to go back to work until we have made sure that the infection rate is down, that transport is set up and that workplaces are safe.' 

The study, published in The Lancet, looked at the medical records of 3.8million people and predicted what could happen after lockdown.

It said vulnerable people – including all over-70s and those who have high blood pressure or asthma – make up 20 per cent of the British population.

Dr Banerjee said: 'This group is more likely to be admitted to hospital, to go to intensive care and to die.

'Why are we even discussing them going back to work at this stage?'

And Government data shows the risk of dying from the coronavirus is 'significantly' higher among some ethnic groups compared to white people, when age was taken into account.

For example Black people are four times more likely to die from the virus, which only reduced by half when taking health conditions and other factors into account.

Charity Diabetes UK said the figures show an 'urgent' need for more information to ensure the safety of those with diabetes as lockdown measures are eased.  

Diabetics are among the most vulnerable to severe COVID-19, but are not considered 'extremely high risk' by the Government. 

They are able to leave their homes for exercise and to get medication, unlike those with rare cancers or organ recipients who should not leave their home under any condition.  

Bridget Turner, director of policy at Diabetes UK, said: 'The fact that more than a quarter of people who have died with COVID19 have diabetes underlines the urgent need to ensure better protection and extra support is available to those in the clinically vulnerable groups. 

'We still urgently need to understand through research why people with diabetes are affected in such numbers. But until we know more, people living with diabetes should be supported to manage their condition. 

'Government must ensure urgently that employers take all the necessary measures to keep employees with diabetes safe, if they are expected to attend work outside the home as restrictions are eased,' she said.

'This includes ensuring the guidance for employers is clear, consistent, and focused on the safety of employees above all else.' 

Dementia was the second most common condition linked with COVID-19 deaths - 18 per cent of victims had the memory disease. 

Following that was COPD, (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), which covers a number of lung conditions. Nearly one in seven of COVID-19 victims had COPD.   

Some 14 per cent of victims had kidney disease, 10 per cent had ischaemic heart disease and seven per cent had asthma.   

NHS England said the accuracy of the data is reliant on the availability and transfer of information by healthcare providers, and patients may have had more than one pre-existing condition. 

It comes after a study warned more than 8million people in Britain are at a higher risk of dying if they catch COVID-19 because of their age or poor health. 

But most of this group are not deemed 'extremely clinically vulnerable' people, who were asked to 'shield' for 12 weeks by the Department of Health.

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2020-05-14 19:02:32Z
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