Friday, Mar 29, 2024 | Last Update : 04:28 PM IST

  World   Middle East  09 Jan 2022  New coronavirus variant 'Deltacron' emerges in Cyprus

New coronavirus variant 'Deltacron' emerges in Cyprus

ANI
Published : Jan 9, 2022, 2:33 pm IST
Updated : Jan 9, 2022, 2:33 pm IST

In total, 10 of the mutations from Omicron were found in the 25 samples taken in Cyprus

Women wearing face masks to protect from coronavirus, play with a dog in the medieval core in central Nicosia, Cyprus. (Photo: PTI)
 Women wearing face masks to protect from coronavirus, play with a dog in the medieval core in central Nicosia, Cyprus. (Photo: PTI)

Nicosia: A new coronavirus variant Deltacron has emerged in Cyprus which has a similar genetic background to the Delta variant, as well as some of the mutations from Omicron, and experts say 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, reported Jerusalem Post citing Cyprus Mail.

Dr. Leondios Kostrikis, the head of the laboratory of biotechnology and molecular virology at the University of Cyprus, said that the frequency of the mutation among hospitalized patients was higher and could point to a correlation between the new variant and hospitalizations.

Kostrikis also emphasized that the variant has a similar genetic background to the Delta variant, as well as some of the mutations from Omicron.

The new variant was not something to worry about at the moment, said Cyprus's Health Minister Michalis Hadjipandelas on Saturday.

The minister also expressed pride in discovering the new variant.

Hadjipandelas said the groundbreaking research and findings of Dr. Kostrikis' team make us proud of our scientists. The minister also underlined that this research puts Cyprus on the international map when it comes to health matters, according to Jerusalem Post.

So far, the scientific name of the new variant has not been announced.

Tags: omicron, omicron covid variant, covid delta variant
Location: Cyprus, Nicosia, Nicosia