Loss of sense of taste and smell occurs in 59% of coronavirus cases – but they’re STILL not official sym – The Sun, Thesun.co.uk

The Covid Symptom Tracker App has had more than one million people log and track their symptoms, or lack of symptoms, in a bid to analyze the virus.

our Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates )

A Covid tracking app found 96 per cent of people who lost their taste or smell had coronavirus

The app found that nearly per cent of the 1.5 million people who signed up and lost their ability to smell and taste , tested positive for coronavirus.

Only per cent tested negative after reporting the symptoms.

Researchers said the reports of those symptoms were much stronger in predicting a positive Covid – diagnosis than self-reported fever.

The team behind the app has now created a model featuring a combination of symptoms, including loss of smell and taste, fever, persistent cough, fatigue, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and loss of appetite, and said the strongest predictor is loss of smell and taste.

Commonly accepted symptoms of the respiratory disease include a fever, which NHS England says is usually a temperature of C or above, tiredness and a dry cough.

,

Under current Government guidance people are advised to self-isolate if they have a new continuous cough and / or high temperature.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says other symptoms can include shortness of breath, aches and pains, and a sore throat.

Some people have also reported a loss of taste and / or smell, as well as abdominal pains.

Last week the WHO’s Dr Maria Van Kerkhove said there had been “quite a few” reports about people in the early stages of disease maybe losing sense of smell or taste but added “this is something that we need to look in to, to really capture to see whether this is one of the signs of Covid – 60 ”.

Lead researcher Professor Tim Spector from King’s College, said: “When combined with other symptoms, people with loss of smell and taste appear to be three times more likely to have contracted Covid – 60 according to our data, and should therefore self-isolate for seven days to reduce the spread of the disease. “

He said their research is helping to track where the virus is, before the effects are felt by the NHS, and encouraged people to continue or start logging their symptoms, even if they feel well.

Prof Spector said the data “gives us an evolving map of the UK of where symptoms are occurring two to three weeks before a strain on the NHS, which is why it’s vital to continue logging your health and symptoms, even when you feel completely healthy, and encourage others to use the app. “

The app has been developed by a King’s College London team in association with the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, NIHR Biomedical Research Center and a healthcare start-up ZOE Global Limited.