COVID-19 patients may not get back sense of taste and smell for months: Study

For people who have battled the deadly coronavirus, the hard days may not be over yet. 

In a new study, scientists have found that people's sense of smell and taste may not return for up to five months after contracting the deadly virus.

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A team of scientists from Canada's University of Quebec surveyed 813 health care workers who had tested positive for coronavirus.

The volunteers were asked to rank their sense of smell and taste on a scale from 0 to 10, and some were also asked to perform an at-home test to evaluate their senses.

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It was found that during initial infection, more than 70 per cent of these volunteers of the survey lost their sense of smell and 65 per cent reported losing their sense of taste.

Surprisingly, 17 per cent of people still could not properly smell and 9 per cent could not taste even five months after they had recovered from the deadly virus.

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"Our results show that an impaired sense of smell and taste may persist in a number of people with Covid-19," Dr Johannes Frasnelli of the University of Quebec said. "This emphasizes the importance of following up with people who have been infected, and need further research to discover the extent of neurological problems associated with Covid-19."

This has raised the question of poor follow-up and post-COVID care of the patients, especially in poorer countries where hospitals are struggling to accommodate sufferers.