A new variant of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, a hybrid version of Delta and Omicron strains, has been discovered in Cyprus. Dubbed as “Deltacron”, the new variant bears the genetic basis of Delta, along with some mutations specific to Omicron strain.
SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus strain
The new strain was named by Leondios Kostrikis, a professor of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus, writes Bloomberg.
Deltacron was identified in 25 samples taken in Cyprus, of which 11 came from people hospitalized and 14 from the general population.
The frequency of mutations was higher among those in the hospital, which could suggest that there is a correlation between Deltacron and hospitalizations, Cypriot officials say.
“We’ll see in the future if the strain is more pathological or more contagious,” Kostrikis said in an interview with Sigma TV.
The researchers sent forth the i...