Prof. Kantardzhiev: Loss of Smell Forecasts Milder Course of Covid-19 Infection

The loss of sense of smell is forecast for a mild course of the novel coronavirus infection, Prof. Todor Kantardzhiev, Director of the National Center for Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, said as quoted by Focus Agency.

He explained that usually COVID infection develops more slowly and its incubation period is longer.

"Usually it starts with irritation in the throat, and in young people with a healthy immune system, a sense of smell is lost first. This worries people, although the loss of sense of smell is usually a prognosis that it will be easier to go through the disease. The criterion is running temperature and dry cough. The flu infection starts within hours. The French word "grippe" means grab. It's best to make a test to confirm the type of infection," he said.

According to Prof. Kantardzhiev antigen tests have improved the diagnostics of the virus and are available to general practitioners and ambulances. However, it should not be forgotten that they are not as sensitive as PCR tests. In addition, in the second phase of the disease the antigen test will show a negative result, he explained.

"If you get sick and have the first clinical symptoms, the antigen test is usually positive, but after a few days of illness - fever, sore throat, cough, malaise and headache, which are symptoms of COVID, the antigen test may be negative after the third day, but the PCR test will be positive," he said further.

Currently, more is known about the treatment of coronavirus infection than about other milder viruses, Prof. Kantardzhiev added.

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