Coronavirus: Spread of COVID-19 variants discussed by expert
Coronavirus cases have surged in recent weeks following the discovery of a new variant which is thought to be 70 percent more transmissible. Swathes of the country have been put under harsh restrictions over the Christmas period, and now the emergence of a strange new symptom has people talking about the wide-ranging effects of this terrible disease.
More than 30,000 new cases were reported across the UK on Sunday, with another 316 deaths.
However, the true numbers are likely to be higher as some parts of the UK are not reporting data over Christmas.
Doctors in Scotland and Wales have warned the NHS is close to being overrun by the number of cases in hospitals currently, with one NHS Trust in Wales forced to put a call out on social media to help from local medical students.
Some ambulance crews in London had to wait six hours before they could hand over patients due to a shortage of beds.
Now, a new symptom of coronavirus has become a discussion point as many report a strange new symptom.
We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.
What are the new symptoms of coronavirus?
Coronavirus attacks the respiratory system, namely the nose and throat.
The most common symptoms – a continuous, dry cough, loss of taste and smell, and a high temperature – have all been ingrained into our psyches throughout the pandemic.
But new anecdotal and research-based evidence is emerging of a new symptom possibly related to the loss of taste and smell.
Individuals suffering from the virus long-term have reported being able to smell horrible odours constantly, like sulphur, fish, burnt toast or sickly sweet smells.
This is called Parosmia; when your senses are distorted.
Healthline.com describes it as: “If you have parosmia, you may experience a loss of scent intensity, meaning you can’t detect the full range of the scents around you.
“Sometimes parosmia causes things you encounter every day to seem like they have a strong, disagreeable odour.”
DON’T MISS
What are the symptoms of the new strain of Covid? Are they different? [EXPLAINER]
Covid vaccine near me: Where can I get the vaccine? Full list [INSIGHT]
Covid mutation meaning: What is the coronavirus mutation? [ANALYSIS]
Nirmal Kumar, an ear, nose and throat surgeon and professor at Edge Hill University Medical School, was among the first people to identify it in coronavirus sufferers.
He said: “This morning I saw two patients with parosmia.
“One said they could smell fish in place of any other scent, and the other can smell burning when there is no smoke around.”
“Both are healthcare workers, and we think there is increased incidence in young people and also in healthcare workers because of exposure to the virus in hospitals.
“For some people, it is really upsetting them.”
Source: Read Full Article