Blood test ‘could identify Covid-19 patients at greatest risk of severe illness’

Professor Tom Wilkinson, who also led the study, said: “These findings have identified important inflammatory signals which will help steer the development of treatment strategies for this new disease"

A blood test could help predict which Covid-19 patients are at greatest risk of becoming critically ill (Simon Dawson/PA)

UK researchers have identified a blood test that could help predict which Covid-19 patients are at greatest risk of becoming critically ill.

A new study by the University of Southampton has shown that testing for five cytokines, which are proteins that are released into the bloodstream following an infection, could help identify those who face life-threatening overstimulation of immune defences due to the disease.