There is a bizarre symptom that often comes with coronavirus, but it’s also one that doctors say could be a key sign that someone’s carrying COVID19, even if they don’t show any other signs of the disease. At least 30% of victims are reporting a loss of their sense of smell (anosmia). Culinary Instructor Elliott Prag told News & Guts how this has impacted him. The 60-year-old Brooklyn, NY resident tells us: “The worst symptom is ANOSMIA. My nasal passages are clear but I can’t smell or taste ANYTHING (dysgeusia).” Prag says the fever and chills have passed but he has had the complete loss of smell and taste for three days. Even incredibly spicy food tastes like absolutely nothing. Quite strange for someone who cooks for a living.

Prag still has a cough as well, but for some coronavirus victims, anosmia is the ONLY symptom. Business Insider reports:

“Anyone experiencing a sudden loss of smell could be a “hidden carrier” of the coronavirus, even if they have no other symptoms, according to evidence compiled by leading rhinologists in the UK.”

“The professors said that many patients around the world who have tested positive for COVID-19 are presenting only the symptoms of loss of smell and taste – without the more commonly recognised symptoms of high fever and coughing.”

The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery released a statement saying:

“Anecdotal evidence is rapidly accumulating from sites around the world that anosmia and dysgeusia are significant symptoms associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.  Anosmia, in particular, has been seen in patients ultimately testing positive for the coronavirus with no other symptoms. We propose that these symptoms be added to the list of screening tools for possible COVID-19 infection.”

The New York Times adds:

Dr. Clemens Wendtner, a professor of medicine at the Academic Teaching Hospital of Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, said that the patients regained their ability to smell after a few days or weeks, and that the loss occurred regardless of how sick they got or whether they were congested. Using nasal drops or sprays did not help, Dr. Wendtner said.