A study has suggested that the new omicron variant may have evolved from a virus that causes the common cold, which could be the reason why the variant is more transmissible.

According to the Washington Post on Saturday, Nference, a United States biomedical company, released the study on the analysis of genetic sequencing of the omicron variant.

Researchers of the study reportedly found that unlike the existing COVID-19 variants, omicron had genetic code that is also present in a virus that causes the common cold.

Researchers speculated that omicron could have evolved from an individual who was "co-infected" with SARS-CoV-2, also known as the novel coronavirus, and HCoV-229E coronavirus, which can cause the common cold.

The shared genetic code with HCoV-229E has reportedly not been detected in other novel coronavirus variants.