According to a new study, two-thirds of people admitted to the hospital with Covid-19 reported losing their sense of smell and taste and almost a quarter of them said it was their first symptom.
The small study included 93 patients from an Italian hospital who were admitted to a non-intensive Covid-19 unit in March 2020.
The participants either tested positive for the virus with a swab test, or they showed signs of lung problems with a chest X-ray or scan.
When interviewed about their symptoms 63% said they lost their sense of smell and taste. For 13 of the 58 who reported losing their sense of smell and taste, the loss of smell and taste was their first symptom. The researchers also noted that the average duration of the loss of smell and taste was between 25 to 30 days.