A new strain of Covid that poses characteristics of both the Delta and Omicron variants has been discovered in Cyprus by a researcher named Leonidos Kostrikis. As this new strain is a combination of Delta and Omicron variants, researchers have named it Deltacron.
Cyprus Health Minister hails scientists
Soon after the discovery, Cyprus Health Minister hailed the researchers for making such a crucial finding. According to Leonidos Kostrikis, the Deltacron variant of Covid has a genetic background of the Delta variant along with some of the mutations of Omicron.
It should be noted that the Delta variant of Covid is very lethal, and it was the driving factor behind the second wave of the pandemic in India. On the other hand, the Omicron variant is highly transmissible. However, the lethality of the Omicron variant is pretty less when compared to Delta.
"We will see in the future if this strain is more pathological or more contagious or if it will prevail," Kostrikis told Cypriot broadcaster Sigma TV.
Crucial discovery or lab contamination?
Meanwhile, top health experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) have dismissed the findings, and they believe that the possibility of coronavirus variants to genetically combine is rare and unlikely.
"Jumping in late here: Let's not use words like deltacron, flurona or flurone. Please. These words imply combination of viruses/variants and this is not happening. "Deltacron" is likely contamination during sequencing, SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve," said WHO's Maria Van Kerkhove.
Van Kerkhove also urged people to receive vaccinations for both Covid and Flu. She also added that wearing masks should be the best way to combat the spread of the Covid pandemic.
