Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

May 11, 2020

Prevalence and Duration of Acute Loss of Smell or Taste in COVID-19 Patients

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  • Lee et al. determined the prevalence of acute loss of smell (anosmia) and taste (ageusia) among 3,191 patients awaiting hospitalization for COVID-19 in Korea. 
  • The presence of acute anosmia or ageusia was observed in 15.3% (488/3,191) patients in the early stage of COVID-19 and in 16% (367/2,342) patients with asymptomatic-to-mild disease severity. The prevalence was higher among females (17% vs. 13%) and among people aged <60 years (17% vs. 10%). Most patients with anosmia or ageusia recovered from these symptoms within 3 weeks, with a median time to recovery of 7 days for both symptoms.  
  • Anosmia and ageusia seem to be common early symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection that could be used to syndromicly detect COVID-19 at the early stage. 

Lee et al. (May 11, 2020). Prevalence and Duration of Acute Loss of Smell or Taste in COVID-19 Patients. Journal of Korean Medical Science. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e174