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COVID-19 or just a cold? Most symptoms of coronavirus infection are similar to those of a cold or flu. But one of them is a sure sign of coronavirus infection, British scientists have discovered.
Fever, cough, loss of taste and / or smell, runny nose, headache, pain in the chest, limbs or throat, difficulty breathing – these are the symptoms that indicate a possible coronavirus infection, reports DW.
However, most of them cannot be a sure sign of COVID-19 disease, as they also occur with the flu or the common cold. Researchers at University College London have found that two of these symptoms can be considered a sure sign of coronavirus infection: loss of taste or smell.
The researchers came to this conclusion after a comprehensive analysis of data from London health centers. In nearly 80% of patients who complained of sudden loss of sense of smell or taste, the researchers found antibodies. Another finding was that 40% of people who lost their taste or smell as a result of the coronavirus infection had neither a cough nor a fever. And one more thing, British scientists have found: loss of the sense of smell is a more reliable sign of coronavirus infection than loss of taste: people with sudden loss of sense of smell are three times more likely to have antibodies than people patients who complain of loss of taste.
Therefore, the most important message is: anyone who finds that they do not smell the odors we encounter every day, such as the smell of onion, garlic, coffee or perfume, should immediately isolate themselves and get tested for the coronavirus. “Says Rachel Butterham of the British research team.
What patients say
Along with the study results, the researchers also published testimonials from patients who exhibited these specific symptoms. Most of them said they didn’t have a stuffy nose, but they still couldn’t smell anything. The image is similar with the other sign: the loss of taste. Many patients complained that they could not taste the hottest pepper or the hottest sauce. The same goes for fluid intake. Based on these findings, researchers at University College London recommend that loss of the sense of smell or taste be considered an important criterion for tracking and detecting infections.
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