Ear, nose and throat specialists in the UK have identified the sudden loss of sense of smell or taste as a new symptom of coronavirus.

The British Association of Otorhinolaryngology (ENT UK) said the new symptom was found in the “absence of other symptoms” of coronavirus, and patients experiencing it could be “hidden carriers” of the highly contagious disease.

The organisation, which represents ear, nose and throat surgeons, said in a statement that there was “good evidence” from coronavirus patients in South Korea, China and Italy who developed the symptom, called anosmia.

Professor Claire Hopkins, president of the British Rhinological Society, and Professor Nirmal Kumar, president of ENT UK, said in a joint statement that there had been a sudden rise “in cases of isolated anosmia” in the UK, US, France and northern Italy.

“I think these patients may be some of the hitherto hidden carriers that have facilitated the rapid spread of Covid-19,” it said. “Unfortunately, these patients do not meet current criteria for testing or self isolation.”

It was recommended that the new symptom could be used as a “screening tool” to identify patients who did not show other signs of being infected with Covid-19, such as a fever or dry cough.

“There is potential that if any adult with anosmia but no other symptoms was asked to self-isolate for seven days… we might be able to reduce the number of otherwise asymptomatic individuals who continue to act as vectors, not realising the need to self-isolate,” ENT UK added.

Prof Kumar told Sky News: “In young patients, they do not have any significant symptoms such as the cough and fever, but they may have just the loss of sense of smell and taste, which suggests that these viruses are lodging in the nose.”

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The statement from ENT UK comes after the organisation revealed two of its specialists were being treated for coronavirus and were “most likely” infected while carrying out daily clinical work with asymptomatic patients.

They called for full personal protective equipment (PPE) to be provided to frontline staff.