Deltacron: Cyprus confirms discovery of COVID variant
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Much of scientific and governmental discourse has described the current dominant variant, Omicron, as having a milder impact on those who contract COVID-19 than previous strains, such as Delta. Decisions on restrictions during the rampage of Omicron through the UK were made largely based on the strain of the disease on the healthcare system, and the severity of the disease caused by the coronavirus variant.
But now, a virologist has suggested that a belief all future mutations of coronavirus will be milder is misguided.
Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist from Warwick University, told The Observer emerging variants could be “more lethal” and have “more long-term consequences” than even Delta wrought on the country at its peak.
He said: “the idea that virus variants will continue to get milder is wrong.”
He added: “A new one could turn out to be even more pathogenic than the Delta variant, for example.”
His predictions were echoed by David Nabarro, the World Health Organisation’s special envoy for coronavirus.
He commented: “There will be more variants after Omicron and if they are more transmissible they will dominate.
“In addition, they may cause different patterns of illness, in other words, they may turn out to be more lethal or have more long-term consequences.
“The pandemic has a long way to go and – as is the case since it started – people and their leaders will influence its long-term impact through actions they take now.”
This comes as British health authorities identify a case of ‘deltacron’, or the merging of two different variants within a patient.
It was placed on the UK Health Security Agency’s ‘variants in monitoring list’, although the UKHSA added this was because “we monitor everything as a matter of course”.
It is below the categorisation of “variant of concern” and “variant under investigation”.
However, some experts have stressed not to put too much emphasis on this recombinant variant, adding it was not something the public should be “overly worried” about.
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Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious disease expert at the University of East Anglia, told MailOnline: “The reason is because, at present, both Delta and most versions of Omicron… are falling quickly and Delta is almost extinct in this country.”
He added: “It [Deltacron] will have shared antigens from both Delta and Omicron and we already have high levels of immunity to those.
“So in theory it should not pose too much of a threat.”
He summarised: “It doesn’t fill me with dread.”
A UKHSA source added: “We monitor everything as a matter of course, but we are not particularly anxious about this variant.
“It is on that list just because we are currently looking at it.”
They continued on to say it was a “very safe bet” the recombinant variant would not develop into an issue in the UK.
A number of recombinant variants have been detected throughout the pandemic, with few consequences.
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