Delta and omicron combine to form ‘deltacron’ in COVID’s latest mutation

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — According to scientists in Cyprus, a new coronavirus mutation has emerged.

They say it is a combination of the omicron and delta variants.

Researchers have coined it “deltacron.” It’s a COVID-19 variant that brings together the best of the worst of delta and omicron, delta’s severity and omicron’s contagiousness.

According to early reports, scientists identified 25 cases of deltacron in hospitalized patients, and people who were not hospitalized. They identified the coinfection has both omicron-like features within delta’s DNA sequence.

News 8 spoke with Dr. Christopher Doehring, vice president of medical affairs at Franciscan Health, who says despite its emergence, there is no need to panic.

“I think the good news is right now is with omicron and delta spreading over the past three or four months — omicron recently in just the past few weeks — we are continuing to have widespread natural immunity develop as a result,” he said. So, if another strain would emerge that was a combination of those two the protection that has been incurred over the last few months should provide good protection for that next variant.”

Doehring says it’s too soon to tell what threat deltacron may pose to the United States. Several previous variants took hold in some countries but never had the same impact when they landed in the U.S. “Super-delta” is just one example.

The doctor goes on to say it’s possible deltacron may subside as quickly as it may peak, but we’ll have to wait until more evidence is available to confirm.