Coronavirus: Infected ears could be the new symptom of COVID-19

New Delhi : Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across the globe and the death toll continues to rise. Coronavirus is known to have different symptoms in different people which makes it very difficult to spot and understand but this deadly and high contagious virus is very difficult to control as it has an incubation period of 14 days. With time the more and more new symptoms have been added to the list of coronavirus symptoms. From nausea to mouth rashes, every now and then new symptoms are reported and one such new symptom is an ear infection. 

The autopsy of 3 COVID-19 patients who lost the battle with coronavirus revealed that this deadly virus was present in the middle ear as the mastoid (a hollow bone behind the ear) area of the head. This research report was published in JAMA which is a scientific journal. Researchers found the virus SARS-CoV-2 in the mastoid and middle ear of the patients. The mastoid and middle ear samples were taken to test this theory. In a report published in the Hindustan Times, the study claims, “Droplet precautions (including eye protection and proper N95 level mask) are warranted for outpatient procedures involving the middle ear due to proximity to these potentially infectious spaces. Given the high asymptomatic rate of Covid-19 cases, caution is warranted for all elective ear surgery, and negative status by testing is indicated.”