医学专家报告，嗅觉的意外丧失可能是冠状病毒的第一个症状

Ear, nose and throat surgeons say a loss of smell, as the virus causes swelling in the olfactory mucosa, could be used as a key clinical indicator in otherwise symptom-free carriers of Covid-19.

耳鼻喉科医生说，由于病毒会导致嗅粘膜肿胀，嗅觉丧失可作为Covid-19无症状携带者的关键临床指标。

"It is these silent carriers who may remain undetected by current screening procedures, which may explain why the disease has progressed so rapidly in so many countries around the world," Flinders University professor and ENT specialist Simon Carney said.

弗林德斯大学教授、耳鼻喉科专家西蒙·卡尼说：“这些沉默的携带者可能仍然无法被目前的筛查程序发现，这也许可以解释为什么这种疾病在世界上这么多国家发展得这么快。”

"While further research is required, loss of smell, or anosmia, has been reported in as many as one in three patients in South Korea and in Germany, this figure was as high as one in two."

“虽然还需要进一步研究，但韩国和德国有三分之一的患者出现嗅觉丧失或嗅觉丧失，这一数字高达二分之一。”

An ENT professor in London also reported a dramatic increase in patients with anosmia as their only symptom of COVID-19 infection.

伦敦的一位耳鼻喉科教授也报告说，嗅觉丧失患者作为唯一的COVID-19感染症状急剧增加。

Professor Carney said Australia was in a position to take advantage of these findings overseas to try and lower the rate of infection.

卡尼教授说，澳大利亚有能力利用这些海外发现来降低感染率。

He said doctors and COVID-19 detection centres could use the subtle sign as part of their testing criteria and patients should also consider calling their GP if they notice this symptom.

他说，医生和COVID-19检测中心可以将这种微妙的症状作为检测标准的一部分，如果患者发现这种症状，也应该考虑给他们的家庭医生打电话。