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A new study by researchers in the US USA And the UK found that a crowdsourcing app that makes users self-report COVID-19 symptoms could be helpful in predicting future cases.
The study, published in Nature Medicine, notes that the COVID Symptom Study app had 2.6 million users after three weeks in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. The app was able to collect data from asymptomatic patients and those with symptoms.
The researchers found that loss of taste and smell are better indicators of COVID-19 than fever and cough.
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“We report that loss of smell and taste is a potential predictor of COVID-19 in addition to other more established symptoms, such as high temperature and a new and persistent cough,” the researchers wrote in the study. “COVID-19 appears to cause smell receptor problems in line with many other respiratory viruses, including earlier coronaviruses believed to account for 10-15 [percent] of cases of anosmia “.
Anosmia is loss of smell.
“We also identified a combination of symptoms, including anosmia, fatigue, persistent cough, and loss of appetite, that together could identify people with COVID-19,” the researchers added.
In addition to collecting data from asymptomatic and symptomatic patients, “it tracks in real time how the disease is progressing by daily recording of self-reported health information, including symptoms, hospitalization, reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) test results, demographic information and pre-existing medical conditions, “the researchers wrote in the study.
The app was created by Zoe Global in conjunction with King’s College London and Massachusetts General Hospital and is available for iOS and Android.
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The researchers noted that there was nearly 80 percent accuracy when using loss of taste and smell when predicting COVID-19, combined with cough, fatigue, and loss of appetite.
In mid-March, Fox News reported that loss of taste and smell could be “telltale signs” of the new coronavirus.
Currently, both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization list cough and fever among the top three or most common symptoms for COVID-19.
Loss of taste and smell is rated lower or considered less common, according to the CDC and the WHO.
“Our results suggest that loss of taste and smell is a key early warning sign of COVID-19 infection and should be included in routine screening for the disease,” said study co-author Tim Spector at a statement. “We strongly urge governments and health authorities around the world to make this information more widely available, and we advise anyone experiencing a sudden loss of smell or taste to assume they are infected and to follow local guidelines for self-isolation.” .
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As of Wednesday morning, more than 4.1 million cases of coronaviruses have been diagnosed worldwide, of which more than 1.33 million are in the United States. The USA, the most affected country on the planet.
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