Coronavirus: Centre adds sudden loss of smell and taste as symptoms of disease
Other markers of Covid-19 infection are fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, expectoration, myalgia, rhinorrhea, sore throat and diarrhoea.
The Centre on Saturday added anosmia, the loss of sense of smell, and ageusia, an accompanying diminished sense of taste, as symptoms of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. The other symptoms are fever, cough, fatigue, shortness of breath, body ache, sore throat and diarrhoea.
The United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had included loss of taste or smell among its list of Covid-19 symptoms in April.
India’s health ministry said the telltale signs of the disease vary from person to person. “Older people and immune-suppressed patients in particular may present with atypical symptoms such as fatigue, reduced alertness, reduced mobility, diarrhoea, loss of appetite, delirium, and absence of fever,” it said. “Children might not have reported fever or cough as frequently as adults.”
“As per data from Integrated Health Information Platform/ Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme portal case investigation forms for Covid 19 (n=15,366), the details on the signs and symptoms reported are fever (27%), cough (21%), sore throat (10%), breathlessness (8%), Weakness (7%), running nose (3%) and others 24%,” the health ministry said. The figures were recorded as of June 11.
India also revised the protocol for clinical management of Covid-19 to include use of antiviral drug remdesivir and off-label use of tocilizumab and convalescent plasma therapy on very specific groups of patients. Meanwhile, hydroxychloroquine will also continue to be used.
“At present, use of these therapies is based on a limited available evidence,” the health ministry said. “As the situation evolves, and when more data become available, the evidence will be accordingly incorporated, and recommendation upgraded.”
On the spread of the disease, the health ministry said that the direct person-to-person transmission occurs through close contact, mainly through respiratory droplets that are released when the infected person coughs, sneezes or talks. “These droplets may also land on surfaces, where the virus remains viable,” it added. “Infection can also occur if a person touches an infected surface and then touches his or her eyes, nose or mouth.”
Those who are over 60 years of age fall under the high risk category and are particularly vulnerable to the coronavirus. Those with underlying non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiac disease, among others, are also at high risk, the health ministry said.
The Centre said that all standard precautions should be routinely followed in health care facilities. This includes hand hygiene, use of personal protection equipment, and avoiding direct contact with patients’ blood, body fluids or secretions. “Standard precautions also include prevention of needlestick or sharps injury; safe waste management; cleaning and disinfection of equipment; and cleaning of the environment,” it added.
India reported 11,458 new coronavirus cases on Saturday morning, the highest single-day spike, including 386 more fatalities. The total number of cases has now gone up to 3,08,993, and the toll is at 8,884. India is now the fourth most-affected country in the world.
