People with Covid-19 apparently also experience a loss of smell (and taste).
Africa Studio – Fotolia
UMons draws attention to the likely loss of taste and / or smell due to Covid-19. And calls for an investigation.
Over the past few days, several Italian, French, German and English scientists and doctors have noticed an abnormally high percentage of anosmia (loss of smell) and dysgeusia (loss of taste) in patients infected with Covid- 19. Experts from U-Mons are looking into the matter.
“The clinical presentation seems special since the patients describe a sudden onset of smell and taste disorders, without any other ENT signs” the university said in a statement.
“According to Professor Claire Hopkins, (president of the British Rhinological Society), this symptom could affect 30% of infected subjects. In a letter published on Monday, she also recommended isolating patients with this symptom for 7 days. The American ENT society has just published the same kind of recommendations. ”
“It would therefore seem useful that these symptoms be added to the list of screening tools for possible Covid-19 infection.”
Signs that should alert
“Anosmia, hyposmia (disorder of smell) and dysgeusia – in the absence of other respiratory diseases such as allergic rhinitis, acute rhino sinusitis or chronic rhino sinusitis – should indeed alert doctors on the possibility of Covid-19 infection and justifying serious consideration for the self-isolation and testing of these people ” says U-Mons.
A survey for people affected by Covid-19
Two ENT specialists from the University of Mons, Dr Sven Saussez and Jérôme Lechien, developed a questionnaire and set up a call center for patients who are positive for Covid-19 and who are not currently in intensive care.
“The collection of this information could have a major impact on screening for Covid-19 infection as patients with these symptoms alone could be screened and properly isolated from the general population.”
This questionnaire, which will last approximately fifteen minutes, will be conducted by telephone anonymously and on a voluntary basis.
Covid-19 positive patients are invited to either complete the online questionnaire (https: //www.surveymonkey.com/r/VMQYKGV); either to contact by email the address [email protected] and leave their contact details there (they will then be called back); or call directly on 065 / 37.37.38.
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