San Diego, Apr 15: Several people lost their sense of smell or taste weeks ago globally and are still waiting for it to come back and now, researchers have identified an association between sensory loss and novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection, indicating that loss of smell and taste may be considered as early symptoms of the deadly disease.
Interestingly, the study also found that persons who reported experiencing a sore throat more often tested negative for COVID-19.
The team from University of California-San Diego found high prevalence and unique presentation of certain sensory impairments in patients positive with COVID-19.
Of those who reported a loss of smell and taste, the loss was typically profound, not mild.
"Based on our study, if you have smell and taste loss, you are more than 10 times more likely to have COVID-19 infection than other causes of infection. The most common first sign of a COVID-19 infection remains fever, but fatigue and loss of smell and taste follow as other very common initial symptoms," explained study researcher Carol Yan from UC San Diego.
"We know COVID-19 is an extremely contagious virus. This study supports the need to be aware of smell and taste loss as early signs of COVID-19," Yan added.
For the findings, published in the journal International Forum of Allergy and Rhinology, the research team surveyed 1,480 patients with flu-like symptoms and concerns regarding potential COVID-19 infection who underwent testing at UC San Diego Health from March 3 through March 29, 2020.
Within that total, 102 patients tested positive for the virus and 1,378 tested negatives. The study included responses from 59 COVID-19-positive patients and 203 COVID-19-negative patients.
Encouragingly, the rate of recovery of smell and taste was high and occurred usually within two to four weeks of infection.
"Our study not only showed that the high incidence of smell and taste is specific to COVID-19 infection but we fortunately also found that for the majority of people sensory recovery was generally rapid," said Yan.
"Among the COVID-19 patients with smell loss, more than 70 per cent had reported improvement of smell at the time of the survey and of those who hadn't reported improvement, many had only been diagnosed recently," she added.
Sensory return typically matched the timing of disease recovery.
In an effort to decrease the risk of virus transmission, UC San Diego Health now includes loss of smell and taste as a screening requirement for visitors and staff, as well as a marker for testing patients who may be positive for the virus.
"It is our hope that with these findings other institutions will follow suit and not only list smell and taste loss as a symptom of COVID-19, but use it as a screening measure for the virus across the world," Yan said.
Comments
Is Modi Govt taking care of indians or UK. Is he PM for UK or India. He has already sold India in the hands of foreign investers and now selling indian assets also which was inherited from old kings. May be Modi will sell Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar, Vidhana soudha, Srirangapatna Mandir, Kollur Mandir to foreigners and make money for bjp and its supporters. shame on you bjp Govt. It will be better to kick out this Govt very soon otherwise we Indians will be completely sold out to foreigners. Beware of this looter's Govt.
Cheddi fans are BLINDLY supporting him. Start opening your EYES ... Looters have no issue and those helper who in the first place helped the british to loot the KOHInoor has no issue... Its not new.
Modi Govt. is a very big fake and rubbish Govt. any promise they fulfilled till now..?, hope their term will complete very soon after that only Acche Din will come..
After all RSS is the agent of British raj. How can they go against their
will ? THE REAL NAME OF RSS IS ROYAL SECRET SERVICE, which was giving then British rulers information about indian freedom fighters.
They are their sole agent then and even now.!
BLACK MONEY BHI NAHI KHOHINOOR BHI NAHI
Waah thief waah!!!
Next he will tell British never invaded India.
We invited them to learn to wear bikini.
RSS is the enemy of India.
It did not surprise me... We know cheddis partner during freedom struggle...
I think Kohinoor diamond belongs to Mugals (Shahajan). how Ranjith Sing is gifting British
Yes, its nice to see it with queen rather than kept here in India...someone will take it if it is kept here....can't trust....
Same like \National Herald is gifted to Sonia Gandhi and not looted by her\" as claimed by Congress party."
If a slave gives a \gift\" to his master, there is always room for reinterpreting the idea behind the \"gift\". But if the new masters are not different from the old, how can this happen? This is the tragedy of India - and this is why we ought to see that the Cong, BJP, CPI etc are actually a continuation of the British colonial legacy. You can defeat them in some cricket matches, but when it comes to substantive issues, you concede the match even before it begins. This is the colonialism of the mind."
Look like air leaking from 56inch chest.
Soon it will be 26 inch.
This decision of govt also justify
British rule over India.
Shame on BJP.
bjp and rss revere godse, the criminal who brutally killed Gandhiji. bjp/rss are agents of british
We want Kohinoor back, who is government to tell them to keep it and they then call themselves as nationaliats. These are real anti-nationals and agents of British.
@Tolerant Indian: Disappointing. The Brits don't deserve our Kohinoor. But if was a gift, then we shouldn't be expecting it back. Blame our Maharaja of Punjab. Height of MASKA GIRI.
Tolerant Indian: spineless modi. Kohinoor belongs to India. it is India's shaan. lalit modi now vijay mallaya took our money to UK. farmers and poor are committing suicide and government gifting riches to other countries.
@Tolerant Indian: Indians have the generosity to make the world rich, by gifting and stashing money in foreign countries!
We have had gifted everything to British during British rule! And now our Rich Indians started gifting by moving out of the country to get settled in UK? There is no surprise, everything is fine in Love to English!
Bring Kohinoor Back Kohinoor was our heritage, it should be brought back.
Kohinoor wasn't a gift. But a war prize that was pushed down our throats by sly East India Co. Better revise stand.
Everyone knows that RSS is always acted as British agent.
Kohinoor was not stolen from India. It was merely abducted. Shine On You Crazy Diamond.
Someone just told me 'we have enough gems in the govt, who needs Kohinoor.'
Okay Britain, let's do a deal. You give us back on thing we gave you - Kohinoor. We'll give you back one thing you gave us - Section 377.
modi govt run by buffoons: Kohinoor gifted by Ranjit Singh to brits? he died in 1839, brits snatched diamond in 1849!
After all, the difference between \gifted\" and \"lifted\" is just one letter."
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