Utah Man Told COVID-19 Led To Diabetes Diagnosis
Apr 30, 2021, 7:55 PM | Updated: Jul 11, 2023, 10:32 pm
SOUTH JORDAN, Utah — A South Jordan man who tested positive for COVID-19 in January said he did not suffer much from the virus, but now, he’s dealing with a long-term side effect.
It was a shock for 24-year-old Riley Fair when he was diagnosed with diabetes two weeks after he had COVID, but KSL-TV learned he’s not alone.
“I am checking my blood sugar about three to four times a day,” said Fair.
Fair was the latest to join 34.2 million Americans with diabetes.
“It’s changed every way of my life and the doctor said it would,” said Fair.
He’s one of a small group that was told COVID-19 triggered the metabolic disease.
Fair became sick with the virus in January. Two weeks later, he was hospitalized and told he had almost slipped into a diabetic coma.
“I had to go to the hospital,” he said. “I barely got myself down the stairs to call the ambulance.”
He was told there were medical studies happening to figure out why the virus triggered diabetes in some people, but his doctor explained it “like a door was open.”
“I may have had the condition, but it may have been dormant,” said Fair.
The scientific journal showed a global registry had been created to see if COVID-19 causes diabetes.
It was created by Kings College London and Monash University in Australia.
“It’s rare, but it can happen,” said Fair. “There are quite a few studies done online about it.”
Fair hoped to spread awareness by sharing his story.
“I am quite literally a living example of what COVID can do,” he said.
KSL-TV reached out to doctors studying this latest development of the impact of COVID-19 and have not yet heard back.
