Oct 21 (Reuters) - Walmart ( WMT ) will become the first

U.S. retailer to sell Abbott Laboratories' ( ABT )

over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor Lingo in physical

stores, an Abbott spokesperson said on Tuesday.

Abbott's device, which was previously available only at

HelloLingo.com and Amazon, will now be sold in Walmart's ( WMT ) 3,500

stores across the U.S.

Continuous glucose monitor makers such as Abbott, Dexcom ( DXCM )

and Medtronic ( MDT ) are riding a surge in demand as

diabetes awareness rises, insurance coverage expands and

patients embrace finger-prick-free technology.

Lingo has a small, flexible sensor inserted just under the

skin, usually on the back of the upper arm. The sensor measures

glucose levels every few minutes.

The two-week pack with one sensor costs $48.97 at Walmart ( WMT ),

including access to the Lingo app, which is available only for

iPhone now.

Abbott launched Lingo last year, targeting consumers who

want to better understand their health, while its other lineup,

FreeStyle Libre, is for people with diabetes and is mostly

available on prescription basis.

In the third quarter, sales of Abbott's continuous glucose

monitors grew 20.5% to $2.0 billion.

Axios first reported the development earlier in the day.