Researchers aimed at determining the features and outcome of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients who were newly diagnosed with diabetes in Japan.

• A total of 62 patients with diabetes who were hospitalized for COVID-19 at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo, Japan, were studied retrospectively.

• The patients included 19 (30.6%) patients with newly diagnosed diabetes and 43 (69.4%) patients with pre-existing diabetes.

• Overall there was a high proportion of COVID-19 patients who are newly diagnosed with diabetes; the risk of developing severe disease is increased for these patients relative to those with pre existing diabetes.

• Researchers suggest performing assessment of blood glucose and HbA1c levels in all patients at the point of COVID-19 diagnosis.