Losing your sense of taste and smell could be a sign you have coronavirus, doctors warn
LOSING your sense of taste and smell could be a sign of coronavirus, doctors have warned.
The British Association of Otorhinolaryngology (ENT UK) says patients who do not have a fever or a cough could show a loss of smell or taste after contracting the deadly bug.
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It said in a statement: "Evidence from other countries that the entry point for the coronavirus is often in the eyes, nose and throat areas.
"We have also identified a new symptom (loss of sense of smell and taste) that may mean that people without other symptoms but with just the loss of this sense may have to self-isolate - again to reduce the spread of the virus."
LOSING YOUR SENSES
It comes after the organisation revealed that two of its consultants are on ventilators and are being treated for COVID-19.
Professor Nirmal Kumar consultant otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon said the nose was the main point of entry for breathing in the virus, .
He said: "In young patients, they do not have any significant symptoms such as the cough and fever, but they may have just the loss of sense of smell and taste, which suggests that these viruses are lodging in the nose."
NHS ADVICE
The NHS is currently advising people with a high temperature or continuous cough to stay at home and self-isolate for seven days.
If you live with others, they should also stay at home for 14 days from the day the first person started showing symptoms.
Anyone with suspected coronavirus who becomes seriously ill should call 111.
More than 4,000 people have contracted coronavirus in the UK so far, with a death toll of 233.
Around one out of every six who gets Covid-19 become seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing, according to the WHO.
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Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are at most risk developing serious illness.
This can include pneumonia and swelling in the lungs, which can make it hard for the lungs to pass oxygen into the bloodstream - leading to organ failure and death.
People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention, the WHO says.
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