A new COVID-19 variant ‘Deltacron’, which has a similar genetic background to the Delta variant, as well as some of the mutations from Omicron, has been identified in Cyprus. But, experts are of opinion that it is not something to be worried about at the moment, a media report said.
In total, 10 of the mutations from Omicron were found in the 25 samples taken in Cyprus. 11 of the samples came from people who were hospitalized due to the virus, while 14 came from the general population, the Cyprus Mail reported.
“The frequency of the mutation among hospitalized patients was higher and could point to a correlation between the new variant and hospitalizations,” Dr. Leondios Kostrikis, the head of the laboratory of biotechnology and molecular virology at the University of Cyprus, was quoted as saying.
Further, Kostrikis emphasized that the new variant has a similar genetic background to the Delta variant, as well as some of the mutations from Omicron.
Cyprus’s Health Minister Michalis Hadjipandelas on Saturday said that the new variant was not something to worry about at the moment. He also expressed pride in discovering the new variant ‘Deltacron’. However, the scientific name of the new variant is yet to be announced.
