‘Deltacron’ Covid Variant That Combines Delta and Omicron Reportedly Discovered in Cyprus

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A researcher in Cyprus has reportedly discovered a strain of Covid-19 that combines the Delta and Omicron variants. According to Bloomberg News, the discovery was dubbed “Deltacron.”

Leondios Kostrikis, a biological sciences professor at the University of Cyprus and head of the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Virology, told Sigma TV on Friday that “there are currently omicron and delta co-infections and we found this strain that is a combination of these two.”

Kostrikis’ team have identified 25 cases of “Deltacron,” 11 of which came from people hospitalized for Covid and 14 from the general population.

“The frequency of the mutations was higher among those in hospital which could mean there is a correlation between Deltacron and hospitalizations,” Kostrikis said.

Kostrikis said it was too early to tell whether Deltacron could became the dominant strain, but “his personal view is that this strain will also be displaced by the highly contagious omicron variant,” Bloomberg reported.

The health minister of Cyprus will hold a press conference in the coming week to address the Deltacron variant, according to the news organization Greek Reporter.