Gene that makes you more likely to die from Covid identified

Paramedics wheel a patient from an ambulance into the Royal London Hospital in January (Picture: Getty)

Researchers have identified the gene responsible for doubling the risk of respiratory failure from coronavirus.

Some 60% of people with South Asian ancestry carry the high-risk genetic signal, a new study found.

Scientists say this partly explains the excess deaths seen in some UK communities, and the impact of Covid-19 in the Indian subcontinent.

The gene is also common in the European population, occurring in about 15%.

Named LZTFL1, the gene appears to prevent cells in the body’s airways and lungs from responding to the virus properly.

However, it is not thought to affect how well people respond to vaccines.