“The current studies indicate something really good,” Ralf Reintjes, professor of epidemiology at Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, told CNBC Thursday.

Research from South Africa suggests that people infected with omicron are 80% less likely to be admitted to hospital than if they contract other strains.

The authors of the study cautioned that this may be in part due to higher immunity among the population, either as a result of previous infection and/or vaccination.