The British Association of Otorhinolaryngology (ENT UK) say asymptomatic patients – ones who do not have a fever or a cough – could show a loss of smell or taste as symptoms after contracting coronavirus.
It said in a statement: “Evidence from other countries that the entry point for the coronavirus is often in the eyes, nose and throat areas.
“We have also identified a new symptom (loss of sense of smell and taste) that may mean that people without other symptoms but with just the loss of this sense may have to self-isolate – again to reduce the spread of the virus.”
Current Public Health England guidelines say that a high temperature or new continuous cough are the only symptoms to trigger self-isolation and stop the spread of COVID-19.
It comes after the organisation revealed that two of its consultants are on ventilators and are being treated for COVID-19.
It said the ENT specialists “most likely” contracted the coronavirus in the course of their daily clinical work from people who did not show any symptoms.
Professor Nirmal Kumarm consultant otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon, said the nose was main entry point for the virus when we breathe in droplets infected with coronavirus.
He said: “In young patients, they do not have any significant symptoms such as the cough and fever, but they may have just the loss of sense of smell and taste, which suggests that these viruses are lodging in the nose.”
Dr Nathalie MacDermott, clinical lecturer at King’s College London said infections that normally occur through the “nose or the back of the throat” often lead to a loss in sense of smell and taste, but cautioned that research around the new symptoms for COVID-19 isn’t yet widespread in the medical community.
In the wake of the new symptoms, ENT UK has also requested full personal protective equipment (PPE) is distributed to frontline staff that examine patients up close.
Professor Kumar added: “At the present time PPE is available only in limited quantities and will be reserved for use only when patients presenting as emergencies show up.”
Meanwhile an A&E consultant told Sky News that the UK’s coronavirus outbreak could be worse than Italy’s and hospitals may be “completely swamped”.
The Italian system is “in advance of us in terms of resources and the intensive care beds”, he said, and it could be days until some hospitals reach capacity and patients begin spilling out into corridors.
