Specialists discover a Corona variant that appears to be a combination of delta and omicron. “Deltakron” concerns numerous experts.
London – In Omicron times, when the number of new infections is going through the roof, reports of a new mutant are now piling up: Deltakron. The possible new mutant was discussed for the first time in January. But shortly after the first report, experts said: It was not about Deltakron, but a false alarm.
Now a new corona variant has been discovered. It shows strong parallels to Delta and the Omicron variant. But is that even possible? And what do experts say about Deltakron?
Corona variant Deltakron: is the mutant dangerous?
When Deltakron was first identified, there was great concern. Scientists reported the find in Cyprus at the time. Shortly thereafter, several researchers explained that it was probably a laboratory error. WHO expert Krutika Kuppalli explained on Twitter: “Deltakron is not real and was probably caused by an artifact during sequencing, i.e. contamination.”
But now another finding of a mixed mutant has been reported, this time in Great Britain. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), a government agency under the UK Department of Health, has listed them in their weekly update.
Corona variant Deltakron detected in Great Britain – experts sound the alarm
The variant probably descended from AY.4.2.2 (delta variant) and the omicron subtype BA.1.1. We’re talking about recombination here. As a result, properties of both variants have come together in a new form. A total of 32 cases have already been recorded.
In an interview with Deutschlandfunk, virologist Christian Drosten warned of a possible recombination shortly after Deltakron became known in Great Britain. It is conceivable that in the future a virus will emerge that on the one hand “carries the spike protein of the omicron virus in order to continue to enjoy this immune advantage, but has the rest of the genome of the delta virus”. Due to the mutations in the spike protein, the Omicron Corona variant succeeds, among other things, in partially bypassing the immune protection of humans. This could result in Corona variants that combine the strongest properties of both predecessors. “There is something like that, it has already been described, you have to fear at the moment that something like this could happen,” explains Christian Drosten.
Corona mutant: Carsten Breuer speaks of a possible worst-case scenario
The head of the Corona crisis team in the Chancellery, Carsten Breuer, also underlined the danger of such a recombination. “A possible worst-case scenario would be a combination of the delta and omicron variants, which triggers a new, violent wave that pushes the health system to its limits,” he told Wirtschaftswoche.
Health Minister Karl Lauterbach had previously emphasized to Markus Lanz (ZDF) that a “recombined virus variant” could come to Germany in autumn 2022. So far, the UK health authority has not released any further figures and data. Nothing is currently known about the course of the disease. (slo)
Headline list image: © ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP
