Rudy Gobert says he's lost his sense of smell due to coronavirus

Staff writer

Mon, Mar 23, 2020, 1:37 AM·2 min read

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert’s coronavirus symptoms have progressed into unusual territory, more than a week after his positive test that precipitated the shutdown of major North American sports.

[ Coronavirus: How the sports world is responding to the pandemic ]

Gobert tweeted Sunday that he has lost his sense of smell due to the coronavirus.

Just to give you guys an update, loss of smell and taste is definitely one of the symptoms, haven’t been able to smell anything for the last 4 days. Anyone experiencing the same thing?
— Rudy Gobert (@rudygobert27) March 22, 2020

Gobert said a week ago his condition was improving, but this seems to be a new development.

Can coronavirus cause you to lose your sense of smell?

Loss of the sense of smell — also known as anosmia — isn’t among the more well-known symptoms of the coronavirus like fever, cough and shortness of breath.

However, British authorities said on Sunday anosmia can definitely be a result of coronavirus.

From ENT UK:

In Germany it is reported that more than 2 in 3 confirmed cases have anosmia. In South Korea, where testing has been more widespread, 30% of patients testing positive have had anosmia as their major presenting symptom in otherwise mild cases.

It has been 11 days since Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. At the time of his test, Gobert had been feeling symptoms that led to tests for influenza, strep throat and an upper respiratory infection, before a precautionary COVID-19 test. Gobert was reportedly feeling strong enough to play that night.

Since Gobert’s diagnosis, several other NBA players — including Gobert’s Jazz teammate Donovan Mitchell and Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant — have tested positive for the virus. Many of the players have been asymptomatic.

Gobert has since apologized for his carelessness and urged the public to not repeat his mistake of not taking the virus seriously. He has also donated $500,000 to Jazz arena workers and other people affected by coronavirus.