Researchers say Covid-19 smell loss could aid diagnoses, easing burden ahead of flu season

BRUSSELS (BLOOMBERG) - The pronounced loss of smell that many coronavirus patients suffer could help separate them from flu cases quickly, easing a potential onslaught on health systems this winter, researchers said.

The loss of smell is more significant in Covid-19 patients than in those suffering from bad colds, according to a study led by two Belgian universities and published Wednesday (Aug 19) in the journal Rhinology.

Those afflicted by the pandemic were also much less able to identify sweet or bitter tastes.

Countries are preparing for the possibility of a second spike in Covid-19 cases alongside the burden of the annual flu season, beginning in autumn.

The UK announced its biggest ever flu vaccination programme in an effort to protect the National Health Service, while the importance of wearing masks, social distancing and hand hygiene over the coming months was emphasised by the head of the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention last week.

While proper diagnostics will always be necessary, smell and taste tests could help with rapid screening in emergency departments and airports, according to Carl Philpott, professor of rhinology at the University of East Anglia's Norwich Medical School, which also worked on the study.

"We know that Covid-19 behaves differently to other respiratory viruses," said Philpott.

This "means that smell and taste tests could be used to discriminate between Covid-19 patients and people with a regular cold or flu."

The findings also provide more evidence that Covid-19 may infect the brain and central nervous system, said the researchers.

Brain complications such as strokes have been linked to severe cases of coronavirus.