After Delta and Omicron, place for “Deltacron”? According to Cypriot scientists, cases of a combination of the two variants have been discovered in the country, located in the south of Turkey, in recent days. “There are currently Omicron and Delta co-infections and we have found this new strain, a combination of the two”Dr Leondios Kostrikis, professor of biology at the University of Cyprus, said on Friday in comments reported by Bloomberg.
A total of 25 cases of this variant have been identified. According to Cyprus Mail, eleven of the 25 samples taken were from hospitalized people. “The frequency of mutations was higher in people hospitalized, which could mean that there is a correlation between Deltacron and hospitalizations”said Dr Kostrikis.
However, there is no indication for the moment that this new strain will be more dangerous. “We will see in the future if it is more pathological or more contagious”, qualified the biologist, estimating that the Omicron variant, now implanted on all continents, could largely supplant this new strain because of its contagiousness.
The Cypriot Minister of Health, who is due to hold a press conference on this subject in the coming days, also remains calm. “The revolutionary discoveries of Dr. Kostrikis’ team make us proud of our scientists”, he prefers to emphasize. “This research puts Cyprus on the international health map.”