‘Deltacron’: COVID-19 variant detected that combines Delta and Omicron, researchers claim

COVID-19 Latest News: A new variant of COVID-19 with 10 mutations from Omicron and genetic background similar to the Delta has reportedly been detected in the small European country of Cyprus. Dubbed ‘Deltacron’ by the researchers, the new COVID-19 variant has been found to have infected 25 people in the country until now.

As reported by news outlet Cyprus Mail, 11 detections of ‘Deltacron’ were made from hospitalised patients while 14 were from general population.

The researchers reportedly found the frequency of the mutation to be higher among hospitalised patients. This, they say, may point to “a correlation between the new variant and hospitalisations,” said, Dr Leondios Kostrikis, the head of the laboratory of biotechnology and molecular virology at the University of Cyprus.

The country’s health minister Michalis Hadjipandelas has stated that the new variant is not a cause of concern at this time. The sequences of the cases suspected to be a new variant have been sent to GISAID, an open access database tracking COVID-19 developments.

Studies have shown that the co-existence of Delta and Omicron increases the chances of a new variant as a result of them trading genes.

In line with this, France recently detected a variant with 46 mutations, and was dubbed as IHU.

The new variant from the lineage named B.1.640.2 is believed to have infected 12 people in the country, according to the yet-to-be peer-reviewed study supported by the French government.

While it may pose a greater risk than Omicron, touted as highly transmissible but mild in infections and less lethal than previous the Delta variant, researchers said, "it is too early to speculate on virological, epidemiological or clinical features of this IHU variant based on (just) 12 cases".

Cases of simultaneous flu and Covid-19 infections have also been detected - 2 in the US and 1 in Israel. While in the US, `Flurona` was found in two young children, in Israel it was detected in a pregnant woman.

(With inputs from IANS)