COVID-19: underlying metabolic health in the spotlight

Type Journal Article Author The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology URL https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/landia/PIIS2213-8587(20)30164-9.pdf Series The Lancet Editorial Volume 8 Publication The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Date 06/05/2020 DOI https://doi.org/10.1016/ S2213-8587(20)30164-9 Abstract At the time of writing, 3∙7 million cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)—caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)—have been reported worldwide, resulting in 260000 deaths. Since the initial cluster of cases of pneumonia in Wuhan, China, was first reported on Dec 31, 2019 (and subsequently confirmed to be due to a novel coronavirus), this localised outbreak rapidly transitioned to being declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) by WHO on Jan 30, 2020, and subsequently a global pandemic as of March 11. Following the initial outbreak in China, 212 countries and territories have reported laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19, with Europe and the USA reporting the highest number of cases and deaths. Although transmission of the virus has now been suppressed in China, and the peak of infection passed in Europe and the USA, worrying numbers of cases and deaths are now being reported in Brazil, Russia, India, and many other countries