Here is the thread on the beta forum where the issue was reported and - briefly - discussed.
It is worth a read. The thread is where the semi-workaround is from.
The change was NOT noted in the patch notes, which probably contributed to it not being widely discussed.
I do not know if the change was in the beta client from the beginning. There was a sneak patch during the beta period, so it may have been introduced at that point.
I played beta from the beginning, but just didn’t do much melee combat and just noticed that I fight as if drunk, but didn’t understand what had changed.