Nearly two weeks ago, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus, which set off a chain of events unlike anything we've ever seen in the NBA. The Jazz-Oklahoma City Thunder game was called off, and a short while later the league suspended the season until further notice.
The NBA's decision prompted other major collegiate and professional sports leagues to follow suit, and at this stage it's unclear when sports will resume in the United States. Commissioner Adam Silver said earlier this week that he's hopeful the league can still "salvage" the season, and owners are looking at a potential re-start before July. Anything more specific than that, however, will have to wait.
As for Gobert, he gave an interesting update on his condition on Sunday. Taking to Twitter, he told his followers that he's lost his sense of smell and taste in the time following his infection.
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
A group of British doctors on Friday indicated that losing the sense of smell may be a sign that someone has the coronavirus, while doctors in Italy reported similar findings. Via the New York Times:
"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," Prof. Claire Hopkins, president of the British Rhinological Society, wrote in an email. "It could contribute to slowing transmission and save lives."
"Almost everybody who is hospitalized has this same story," said Dr. Marco Metra, chief of the cardiology department at the main hospital in Brescia, where 700 of 1,200 inpatients have the coronavirus. "You ask about the patient's wife or husband. And the patient says, 'My wife has just lost her smell and taste but otherwise she is well.' So she is likely infected, and she is spreading it with a very mild form."
While Gobert is suffering from this new symptom, he said last week that he's been feeling much better: "Just wanted to give you guys a little update," Gobert said in a video posted to the NBA's Twitter feed. "I'm going to start by saying thank you to all of the people that have been supportive and for all the positive energy. It really means a lot. As for myself, I've been feeling a little better every single day thanks to the healthcare people of Utah and Oklahoma City and all of the great people around me."
Last week, Gobert donated $500,000 to support workers at Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City, as well as health services in both the U.S. and his native France.
