Death rates from Covid-19 infections are much higher in patients with diabetes in Africa, where the number of people with diabetes is growing rapidly, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

A WHO analysis of data from 13 African countries found a 10.2 per cent case fatality rate in Covid-19 patients with diabetes, compared with 2.5pc for Covid-19 patients overall.

"Covid-19 is delivering a clear message: fighting the diabetes epidemic in Africa is in many ways as critical as the battle against the current pandemic," said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa, in a statement.

An estimated 70pc of people with diabetes on the continent were unaware they had the disease, according to the WHO.

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