A study at  the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London has revealed that the virus could target organs other than those concerned with airway function . Cardiac tissue damage and consequent heart failure has  been observed in up to 20 percent of COVID-19 patients. 

500,000 single cells from 14 human hearts and identified three types of cells that express the entry receptor: pericytes, which are found in the network of small blood vessels in the heart; cardiac muscle cells; and fibroblasts, the cells that help maintain the heart structure. Knowing the specific and likely target cells of the virus in the heart provides crucial information necessary to understand the mechanisms of damage, and guide treatment choices.