Early research is now being released about Omicron since the new variant was identified just two weeks ago.
Omicron cases have been increasing rapidly as the Scottish Government is considering new restrictions to slow the spread with around 110 cases of the variant in Scotland identified so far.
A new report by US researchers includes a preliminary symptom profile for the Omicron variant, reports Wales Online.
The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified a cough in 90 per cent of cases in their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published Friday.
Anecdotal accounts by South African researchers describe the cough as dry, often accompanied by a "scratchy throat" according to Reuters.
"Many of the first reported cases of Omicron variant infection appear to be mild, although as with all variants, a lag exists between infection and more severe outcomes," explained the authors of the CDC report.
"Symptoms would be expected to be milder in vaccinated persons and those with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection than in unvaccinated persons.
"Characteristics of the cases described in this report might also not be generalisable because case findings might be associated with individual characteristics."
The details of the report draw on the cases of 43 infections attributed to the Omicron strain.
Only seven per cent of subjects presented with 'asymptomatic' infection or 'unknown' symptoms as 93 per cent of cases were deemed symptomatic.
"Even if most infections are mild, a highly transmissible variant could result in enough cases to overwhelm health systems," wrote the authors elsewhere in the report.
The report lists cough (89 per cent), fatigue (65 per cent) and congestion or runny nose (59 per cent) as the three most common symptoms.
Shortness of breath (16 per cent), diarrhoea (11 per cent) and loss of taste or smell (eight per cent) all featured at the bottom of the CDC’' list.
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