LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 01: A COVID-19 test center operates inside the Tom Bradley International Terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on December 01, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. The Biden administration is planning to announce tighter restrictions for travelers flying into the United States, including requiring a negative test for COVID-19 one day ahead of travel, in response to the new Omicron variant. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

An analysis of early US cases has shown that 89% of people reported having a cough (Picture: Getty Images North America)

The most common symptom of Omicron Covid reported in early cases found in the United States was a cough, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


An analysis of the first 43 cases of the new strain showed 89% of people had a cough, while 65% reported suffering from fatigue and 59% had congestion or a runny nose.


Other symptoms reported by those infected included fever, nausea, shortness of breath and diarrhoea.


Only 8% of cases involved a loss of taste or small, which is listed as one of the top three symptoms to look out for on the NHS website.




LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 01: International travelers pass through the Tom Bradley International Terminal after arriving into the U.S. at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on December 01, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. The Biden administration is planning to announce tighter restrictions for travelers flying into the United States, including requiring a negative test for COVID-19 one day ahead of travel, in response to the new Omicron variant. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

The majority of cases so far seen in the US have been symptomatic (Picture: Getty Images North America)

One person was hospitalised for two days with Omicron and there were no deaths linked to the disease as of December 10, the CDC report said.


The US identified its first Omicron case on December 1 and it has now spread to 22 states.


Only 33% of those infected had travelled out of the country in the 14 days beforehand, indicating the strain is already spreading within the community.


The vast majority of cases involved symptoms with only 7% saying they were asymptomatic.




Mandatory Credit: Photo by REX/Shutterstock (12628406m) United States President Joe Biden delivers remarks after receiving a briefing from his COVID Response Team and NIH health officials, including NIAID Director and Chief Medical Advisor to the President Dr. Anthony Fauci at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland. MD: President Biden delivers remarks at National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA - 02 Dec 2021

Joe Biden has introduced travel restrictions in response to the spread of the Omicron (Picture: Shutterstock)

Of the 43 people infected, 47% were double-vaccinated, 33% had had their booster jab and 19% were not vaccinated at all.


Although the CDC only looked at the small number of cases confirmed so far, the report provides some clues as to how the variant may spread.


It states: ‘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, and symptoms would be expected to be milder in vaccinated persons and those with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection than in unvaccinated persons.’


It goes on to warn: ‘Even if most infections are mild, a highly transmissible variant could result in enough cases to overwhelm health systems.’




NEWARK, NEW JERSEY - NOVEMBER 30: Travelers arrive for flights at Newark Liberty International Airport on November 30, 2021 in Newark, New Jersey. The United States, and a growing list of other countries, has restricted flights from southern African countries due to the detection of the COVID-19 Omicron variant last week in South Africa. Stocks in the travel and airline industry have fallen in recent days as fears grow over the spread and severity of the variant. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The US identified its first Omicron case on December 1 (Picture: Getty Images North America)

Scientists have previously said that many Covid infections are being missed because people assume they only have a cold as they were not experiencing the ‘traditional’ symptoms associated with the disease.


Anyone who feels even slightly unwell is being urged to get tested to prevent spreading the virus on to people who may suffer worse symptoms.


Experts have said Omicron appears to be causing less severe symptoms compared to previous strains of the virus but have repeatedly stressed more analysis is needed before firm conclusions can be made.


In the UK, the first cases of Omicron in hospitals have been confirmed, although it is still unclear if the virus was the primary reason why they were admitted.



Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.


For more stories like this, check our news page.