A RECENT META-ANALYSIS study suggested that losing the sense of smell turned to be an overlooked symptom among COVID-19 patients although it has been manifested as a unique symptom of the infection during the early phase of the pandemic.
The meta-analysis study was authored by Dr Jeyasakthy Saniasiaya Consultant ENT Surgeon from University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) together with Dr Md Asiful Islam and Prof Dr Baharuddin Abdullah, both from University Science Malaysia.
The meta -analysis study examined data from 83 high quality studies from 27 countries across the globe and was published in The Layngoscope Journal, November 2020.
The Malaysian academicians decided to focus on this particular symptom because they realised that something as simple and petty as loss of smell could be actually an initial indication for an infection that caused pandemic.