People experiencing a loss of smell or taste should self-isolate and get tested for coronavirus, the government has now advised.
The coronavirus symptom list on the NHS website has been expanded to 'anosmia', a loss of smell, which has become the third telltale sign of the virus along with a high temperature and persistent dry cough.
Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for England, announced the new addition to the symptom list today (Monday).
Anyone experiencing any of the symptoms should isolate for seven days and members of their household should isolate for 14 days, the guidance states.
The three key signs to look out for are now:
- A high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature).
- A high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature).
- Anosmia (a loss of smell).
The updated official advice comes after independent experts warned up to 70,000 people may currently have the virus but are going undiagnosed, The Mirror reports.
Prof Jonathan Van-Tam said: “This [symptom] has to be something that’s new to you.
“The reason for making the change now is there has been a signal around possible the importance of anosmia as a symptom for a while now.
“It’s been important to continue to look at that and make sure we look at that and make sure we consider it and introduce it at the right time when we think it’s going to make a difference.”
At least 17 other countries including the US have already altered their list of symptoms to include anosmia.
ENT UK, the organisation representing ear, nose and throat surgery, had already contacted Public Health England about anosmia as a potential symptom.
In an earlier statement, it said: "There is new evidence for the loss of smell as a symptom of COVID-19 infection.
"There have been a rapidly growing number of reports of a significant increase in the number of patients presenting with anosmia in the absence of other symptoms – this has been widely shared on medical discussion boards by surgeons from all regions managing a high incidence of cases."
