New 'long COVID' symptoms may include stench of fish and burning

People suffering from long COVID, or simply the persistence of coronavirus symptoms, are now reporting new symptoms. Long COVID remains elusive, with scientists attempting to understand why symptoms last longer in some people. In a long COVID situation, people can experience symptoms like shortness of breath, tiredness for months after recovering from the virus.

Now, new symptoms have come in. People with long COVID are reporting the oddest symptoms one could imagine - a strong stench of fish, sulphur, and a sickly odour, as reported by Sky News.

Vaccines for COVID-19 may have emerged, but the virus itself continues to surprise scientists and doctors alike, as new variants and symptoms keep popping up across the world. A recent variant which is considered more quickly spreading than the original strain has triggered panic in the world, akin to the earlier days of coronavirus last year.

Also read: Your overdramatic immune system could be causing 'long COVID': Study

Distortion of smell is a common symptom of COVID-19, but its particulars had remain unrevealed. Officially referred to as "parosmia", the distortion of smell is largely reported among young people as well as healthcare officials.

An ENT surgeon - Professor Nirmal Kumar told Sky News that the symptom was "very strange and very unique''. Kumar added how many patients are experiencing long-term distortion of smell, most of which is unpleasant.

Also read: Rare fungal infection detected in coronavirus patients

Anybody undergoing distortion of smells is being recommended to take on ''smell training'' - a process involving sniffing lemon, rose, clove, and eucalyptus oils every day for at least 20 seconds to slowly regain sense of smell.

Earlier, scientists claimed to have understood why coronavirus symptoms linger in some patients for a long period of time, or what is commonly known as “long COVID”.

Turns out, it’s part of the body’s reaction against COVID-19. But it’s a direct result of an overdramatic response from the immune system. Once the carrier beats the virus, its symptoms fully disappear, but in some cases, the symptoms can continue to show for months after recovery.