Autoimmune antibodies may cause blood clots in COVID-19.

KARACHI -- A new study shows that the novel corona virus can trigger the production of clotcausing auto antibodies. This finding may explain the high rate of blood clots among COVID-19 patients. Alongside the respiratory features of COVID-19, many people with the illness have experienced thromboses, better known as blood clots. Some estimates suggest that the novel coronavirus causes blood clots in 30% of critically ill patients, which can lead to serious complications, including strokes. These findings have

motivated researchers to test whether existing blood-thinning drugs typically used to prevent blood clots after a heart attack, for example, could improve outcomes for people with COVID-19. However, precisely what causes the blood clots to form in people with the illness remains unclear. Scientists have proposed various...