Nigerian government identifies ‘loss of smell, taste senses’ as COVID-19 symptoms

The Nigerian government has recognised the sudden loss of the senses of taste and smell as a valid symptom of COVID-19.

“If you feel you are having sudden loss of the senses of taste and smell, you should know it’s now a common symptom of COVID,” Chikwe Ihekweazu, the head of Nigeria’s Infectious Disease agency, NCDC, said during Thursday’s President Task Force Meeting on COVID-19 pandemic.

“These symptoms have been recognised globally as that of COVID-19; there are very few other diseases that would cause a sudden loss of smell and taste especially in normally otherwise healthy people,” the official noted.

This is coming several weeks after many Nigerians took to social media to complain of losing their senses of smell and taste especially during or after treating a fever.

– Premium Times