SARS-CoV-2 infection of the liver directly contributes to hepatic impairment in patients with COVID-19

•Liver enzyme abnormalities in patients with COVID-19 are associated with disease severity.•Patients with liver enzyme abnormalities have higher A-aDO2 and GGT, lower albumin and decreased circulating CD4+ T cells and B lymphocytes.•SARS-CoV-2 is able to infect the liver and cause conspicuous hepatic cytopathy.•Massive apoptosis and binuclear hepatocytes were the predominant histological features of SARS-CoV-2-infected liver.