The coronavirus might cause those infected to lose their sense of taste and smell, U.S. health officials have announced, based on "anecdotal evidence," according to the New York Daily News.

Members of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery on Sunday called for hyposmia or anosmia, the loss of the sense of smell, and dysgeusia, the loss of the sense of taste, to be added to the virus' official list of symptoms.

"Anecdotal evidence is rapidly accumulating from sites around the world that anosmia and dysgeusia are significant symptoms associated with the COVID-19 pandemic," the group said in a statement. 

"Anosmia, in particular, has been seen in patients ultimately testing positive for the coronavirus with no other symptoms," the statement continues. "We propose that these symptoms be added to the list of screening tools for possible COVID-19 infection. Anosmia, hyposmia, and dysgeusia in the absence of other respiratory disease such as allergic rhinitis, acute rhinosinusitis, or chronic rhinosinusitis should alert physicians to the possibility of COVID-19 infection and warrant serious consideration for self-isolation and testing of these individuals."

Professor Claire Hopkins, president of the British Rhinological Society, told The New York Times that losing your sense of smell is a strong sign of coronavirus infection.

"We really want to raise awareness that this is a sign of infection and that anyone who develops loss of sense of smell should self-isolate," she said. "It could contribute to slowing transmission and save lives."

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