China News Service, July 28. According to the National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), a new study shows that globally, about 5% of people infected with the new crown suffer from long-term loss of smell or taste.
Data map: In the intensive care unit, medical staff are caring for new crown patients.
According to reports, in an analysis published by The BMJ on the 27th, the researchers analyzed 18 previous studies on smell and taste loss in several continents and different populations.
About 75% of these patients regain their sense of smell or taste within 30 days.
Recovery rates for smell or taste improved over time, but about 5 percent of people reported "persistent dysfunction" six months after contracting COVID-19, the report noted.
In the early days of the new crown epidemic, loss of smell was one of the most obvious symptoms of contracting the new crown.
The BMJ analysed data from 3,700 people who have recovered from Covid-19 from North America, Europe and Asia.
Studies have shown that women are less likely than men to regain their sense of smell and taste.
Patients with more severe nasal congestion were also less likely to recover.
The analysis also showed a steady increase in the proportion of patients who regained their sense of smell over time.
After 30 days, about 74% of patients were cured; after 90 days, the figure was as high as 90%.
And after six months, about 96 percent of patients said they were able to smell again.
The analysis suggests that loss of smell and taste may be a long-term problem and more research and health resources are needed to help these patients.
In addition, Zara Patel, a rhinologist at Stanford University who was not involved in the study, said loss of smell is associated with higher mortality in older adults and has a major impact on people's emotional and mental health.
"With millions of people around the world now losing their sense of smell, this could be a new public health crisis," Patel said.