Cypriot Scientists Detect Hybrid Coronavirus Strain Of Delta, Omicron Variants

A new strain of coronavirus was discovered by a group of scientists from the department of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus, Leondios Kostrikis, leading researcher, said on Saturday

ATHENS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th January, 2022) A new strain of coronavirus was discovered by a group of scientists from the department of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus, Leondios Kostrikis, leading researcher, said on Saturday.

The mutation was called Deltacron as it is a hybrid variant of the Delta and Omicron strains, Kostrikis said in a statement, published by the Cyprus Times.

The research team examined 25 samples from patients infected with the mutated version of Delta with Omicron strains, the scientist said. The finding is of clinical importance, Kostrikis noted.

On Friday, the sequences of the 25 Deltacron cases were sent to the international database that tracks changes in the virus, GISAID.

The new strain is not a cause for concern for the authorities as it is a combination of mutations of two strains that already exist in the country, Cyprus Health Minister Michalis Hadjipantela told the local CNA news agency.