"International and Russian experience in the fight against COVID-19 indicates that diabetes as a concomitant disease with COVID-19 is one of the risk factors for the development of adverse outcomes due to a more severe course of infection," RIA Novosti quoted Golikova as saying.

As noted, this is especially true for those who have additional aggravating factors (old age, obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease and arterial hypertension).

“A patient with diabetes and arterial hypertension has a twofold increase in the risk of infection and severe course of COVID-19, therefore persons with diabetes and arterial hypertension are the most severe cohort of patients with COVID-19,” she added.

Earlier, a specialist from the Ministry of Health also reported that arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity in patients with COVID-19 worsen the course of the disease.