STUDIES have revealed that Covid-19 can infect insulin-producing cells in the pancreas and alter their function, possibly explaining why some people develop diabetes due to the virus, according to a report in The Guardian.
Amid the pandemic, there has been a rise in the number of patients who have developed diabetes due to Covid.
In order to identify which organs could be infected by Covid, Prof Shuibing Chen at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York screened various cells and organoids – lab-grown clusters of cells that mimic the function of organs, The Guardian report added.
The results showed that lung, colon, heart, liver, and pancreatic organoids could all be infected, as well as dopamine-producing brain cells.
Further experiments showed that insulin-producing beta cells within the pancreas were also susceptible, and that once infected, these cells produced less insulin.
According to the newspaper report, these cells also produce less hormones usually manufactured by different pancreatic cells.
The results were presented at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes.
“They are basically changing their cellular fate, so instead of being hardcore beta cells which secrete a lot of insulin, they start to mix different hormones. It could provide further insight into the pathological mechanisms of Covid-19," Prof Chen was quoted as saying by The Guardian.
However, it's not clear whether the changes due to Covid infection are long-lasting, Prof Chen said.
Another research by Prof Francesco Dotta at the University of Siena in Italy and colleagues showed that people with existing diabetes or prediabetes are at greater risk of pancreatic dysfunction if they catch Covid.
These studies support the rationale that Covid could increase the risk of developing diabetes in people who are either predisposed to it, or even get it from scratch, the report added.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)