Delta and Omicron Hybrid Discovered... 'Deltacron'

Cyprus University Discovers Hybrid with Omicron Element Combined on Delta Genetic Basis
Found in 25 Samples Collected in Cyprus

[Asia Economy International Department Reporter] On the 8th (local time), TASS news agency reported, citing local experts, that a hybrid variant combining the COVID-19 Delta variant and Omicron variant was discovered in the Mediterranean island nation of the Republic of Cyprus.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to the report, the hybrid variant was discovered by experts from the University of Cyprus' Institute of Biotechnology and Molecular Virology, who named this hybrid variant "Deltacron."

Leontios Kostrikis, director of the institute, explained, "The new hybrid variant combines the genetic base of the Delta variant with several mutation elements of Omicron," adding, "Among the 30 Omicron mutations, 10 were identified in the Cyprus hybrid variant."

He added that the Deltacron variant was found in 25 samples collected in Cyprus, of which 11 samples were from patients hospitalized with COVID-19 symptoms, and the remaining 14 samples were obtained from the general public.