Coronavirus Can Cause This Bizzare Symptom
In recent days doctors are reporting a shocking new symptom of coronavirus. Associations of ear, nose, and throat doctors in the US and the UK are reporting high numbers of patients with coronavirus losing their sense of smell or taste as a symptom of the virus.
These doctors are calling on people experiencing a loss of their sense of smell to self-isolate as it may be a sign of coronavirus infection. In a sample of 2000 positive tests in South Korea, about 30 percent of the patients with coronavirus described the loss of their sense of smell as their primary symptom. Some patients first notice this when they realize they can’t smell the cup of coffee or tea they are drinking, or can’t smell their soaps, shampoos, or typical household cleaners.
Doctors in China and Italy, the two largest centers of the outbreak, are reporting the same symptoms. In both areas doctors view the loss of the senses of smell and taste as an early warning symbol for a coronavirus infected person who may be unknowingly spreading the disease because they do not present with the typical symptoms of fever and dry cough. People report being unable to smell or taste the food they cook, even when using strong-smelling ingredients like vinegar in a recipe.
A German doctor who interviewed coronavirus patients thankfully reports that patients will regain their senses of smell and taste within a few days, but this surprising new symptom should be taken seriously as a sign of coronavirus infection. For now, doctors urge people who experience a loss of smell to self-isolate as there is a link between this symptom and coronavirus infection.
