Cough, fatigue, sore throat 'more common' with new Covid-19 variant

Cough, fatigue, sore throat and muscle pain may be more common in people who test positive for the new UK variant of coronavirus, a study by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests.

The ONS findings are based on positive tests from a random sample of 6,000 people in England.

Loss of taste and smell may be slightly less likely to affect those with the new form of the virus.

However, it is still one of the three main symptoms of the virus.

The NHS website lists the symptoms as a high temperature, a new continuous cough and a loss or change to sense of smell or taste.

Most people infected with the virus develop at least one of these symptoms.

The new variant, which was first spotted in Kent in September, spreads more easily than the previous form of the virus and has now spread across the UK, causing a surge in cases which prompted the current lockdown.

There is some evidence it could be more deadly than other variants, although the data isn't strong enough yet to say for certain.

Two other variants - one from South Africa and another from Brazil - are also circulating, although at lower levels.