Coronavirus sufferers - including a British MP - are reporting the illness is leaving them unable to taste and smell.
Health minister Nadine Dorries, diagnosed with Covid-19 last week, has revealed that an unexpected side effect was that she had “absolutely zero” of both senses.
In a post on Twitter, she said that when eating or drinking, she can now only tell if something is warm or cold, saying: “No point in putting a tea bag in the water.”
The claim has now been backed by German virologist Hendrik Streeck, who says interviews he has carried out with patients have revealed symptoms that doctors were previously unaware of.
Mr Streeck also says that a lower rate of testing - focussing on those who are symptomatic - could account for Italy’s high mortality rate compared to other countries such as Germany.
“If one follows the study and assumes that 91 percent of Covid-19 only experience mild or moderate symptoms, the Italians initially focused only on the remaining nine percent,” Mr Streeck explained.
It comes as the number of coronavirus deaths in England has risen to 177 with a further 40 reported today.
Ms Dorries - who is now self-isolating at home - says she did not go abroad or come into contact with anyone who had before testing positive.
Writing in the Sunday Times, she said getting confirmation she had contracted Covid-19 was like "iced water trickling down my spine”.
Her 84-year-old mother, who she described as being “not in the best of health” has also been diagnosed with the flu-like virus.
"I stopped listening for a second as the thought flew through my mind: my mum is going to get it and it's my fault. I had brought Covid-19 home from Westminster and had unwittingly passed it on to her,” she added.
The Mid Bedfordshire MP, known for her stint on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, advised people to think of everything as being contaminated.
Britain's battle against the coronavirus entered a new stage on Friday as Boris Johnson ordered all pubs, bars, restaurants to shut down.
The Prime Minister told a press conference people should stay at home as he warned of the "fatal consequences" for the community if people flouted the new restrictions.
