Coronavirus: Could loss of sense of smell, taste be early warning for COVID-19 infection?

Doctors may have zeroed in on an early warning for a potential COVID-19 infection.

There have been cases where people who are diagnosed with coronavirus have said that they were not able to smell anything before the COVID-19 determination, The New York Times reported.

The conditions are called anosmia, or the loss of the sense of smell, and ageusia, the loss of the sense of taste.

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Ear, nose and throat specialists in Britain said that there are reports from all over the globe where doctors are reporting similar symptoms, the Times reported.

They’re now telling anyone who is losing their sense of taste and smell, to self-isolate for seven days, even if they don’t have any other coronavirus symptoms.

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In South Korea, 30 percent of 2,000 patients tested positive for coronavirus also reported anosmia, which was their major presenting symptom, the Times reported.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology said that anecdotal evidence is connecting the loss of the two senses with COVID-19 positive diagnosis saying that it should be added to screening tools for coronavirus, CNN reported.

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In some areas of Italy, where the virus is clustered, doctors have also said that the loss of smell and taste indicates that the person is carrying coronavirus and could spread to others, the Times reported.