Revealed, the reason why obese people may be more at risk of coronavirus: Fat cells make large amounts of a protein used by the deadly infection to infiltrate human cells

The reason why obese people may be more at risk of dying from coronavirus could be because their fat cells make large amounts of a protein used by the infection to infiltrate human cells.

The coronavirus - scientifically called SARS-CoV-2 - latches onto ACE-2 receptors, known as the 'gateway' into cells inside body.

Fat cells express ACE-2 receptors, which experts say may explain why obese people have higher odds of suffering a severe bout of COVID-19.

ACE-2 is also expressed in the fat cells of people with type 2 diabetes - another high-risk health condition driven by obesity.

Some researchers now believe diabetes drugs could be used to fight the infection - and admitted that losing weight may also have a benefit.

The scientists who posed the theory, from Germany and the US, also outlined how fat cells are linked to a lung-scarring condition called pulmonary fibrosis.

With COVID-19 added on top, the lungs would struggle to get enough oxygen to the rest of the body.

The evidence is not concrete but data from hospitalised COVID-19 patients suggests obese people are more likely to die than those who are slim.

Public Health England has launched an investigation into how obesity plays a role in disease severity, as well as ethnicity and gender.

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