Loss of taste or smell could surely be another symptom of the novel coronavirus infection, A new study finds. The outcome of the survey is published April 22 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
The survey, conducted by Dr. Daniele Borsetto and his colleagues at Guy’s Hospital, London, is done involving 202 covid-19 patients in Italy. The findings showed that 67% of the patients surveyed reported some level of changed sense of taste or smell right before or after they tested positive.
The researchers found that 130 of the patients or 67% reported some sort of altered taste or smell. A third of them also reported having had a blocked nose, which can alter taste and smell. Other common symptoms reported by the respondents are fatigue (68.3%), dry or productive cough (60.4%) and fever (55.5%), noted the scientists.
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Most importantly, loss of taste or smell is not predominantly first symptom experienced by the patients as only 12% reported it as their first symptom. Nearly a quarter said that they lost smell or taste along with their other symptoms and another 27% noticed it as the last symptom. Just 3% said it being their only symptom.
As per the researchers, if the study is confirmed, then there will be a need for testing and self-isolation of people with smell or taste loss symptoms.
To note, the study done by Dr. Daniele Borsetto and his colleagues is only the second medical study of what’s called anosmia. Source : CNN
