Delmicron – the number of infections with the combination of Delta and Omicron is increasing

The Omikron variant is becoming more common in Europe and the United States. But in these areas the Delta is still “reigning”. This is the first time during the coronavirus pandemic that the two variants considered by the WHO as the most dangerous have met in one area. As a result, the Delmikron, also known as the Deltokron, was created, i.e. a combination of the Delta and Omikron variants. This combination appears more and more often in the tested samples. Recently – in Cyprus, where 25 Delta and Omikron infections have already been detected simultaneously.

1. Delmicron is not a new variant of the coronavirus, but a combination of Delta and Omicron
2. It is likely spreading even faster than Omicron
3. 25 Deltocron infections have already been detected in Cyprus, as Cypriot researchers call it
4. The scientists there discovered that the virus in this case had a Delta genetic background and 10 Omicron mutations
5. According to experts, simultaneous infection with Delta and Omicron could lead to a new variant, but it is very unlikely
6. More information can be found on the Onet homepage

Delmikron – what is it?

In recent days, many countries have recorded record numbers of new COVID-19 cases. These increases are primarily influenced by the spread of a new variant of the coronavirus, Omikron. Discovered less than two months ago, the strain turned out to be the most infectious variant of SARS-CoV-2 we have dealt with. According to the latest research, it is probably 105 percent. more contagious than Delta.

In many countries, Omikron is replacing the dominant variantsincluding Delta. For example, in Great Britain, where infections with this strain are the highest (over 105 thousand), it already accounts for 72,6 percent. all cases of COVID-19. It is similar in Australia (77,7%), Denmark (64,4%), Israel (61%), the United States (58,4%) and many other countries. In Poland, it is so far «only» 5,9 percent. (162 confirmed cases) of the total number of infections, however, as experts have announced, the Omikron wave will soon reach Poland.

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The rest of the text is below the video.

At the same time, Delta is still present in these areas. Therefore, there is already talk of Delmicron or Deltokrona. It is not a new variant, but a combination of Delta and Omicron. Omicron causes a much milder disease course, but spreads much faster than Delta, Delmicron, according to the latest data, can spread even faster.

“Delmikron, the fusion of Delta and Omicron, in Europe and the US has led to a tsunami of new incidents,” Dr. Shashank Joshi, a member of the Indian government group on COVID-19, recently said.

1. Gloomy forecasts for 2022. Up to 3 billion infections with Omikron

What is happening in Cyprus?

The latest reports of Deltokron infections come from Cyprus, where 25 cases caused by this combination have already been detected. Scientists have found that it has a Delta genetic basis, but also has 10 Omicron mutations. However, as they emphasize, it is too early to say whether the situation should worry us more.

“We will see in the future whether this strain is more pathological or more contagious, or whether it will dominate the two dominant variants, Delta and Omikron,” said Leondios Kostrikis, professor of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus.

As he added in an interview with the Cyprus Mail, this mutation is more common in people who are hospitalized.

Delta and Omikron co-infection – what is the risk?

Doctors are also increasingly talking about simultaneous infections with two variants of the coronavirus – Delta and Omikron.

– We have an interesting situation, because one wave related to the Delta variant is overlapped by the wave of the Omikron variant, which pushes the former off the stage. So we live in a window through which both variants can pass. With the current dynamics of changes in the dominance of variants, the risk of co-infection with the Delta and Omikron variants is high, said Dr. Piotr Rzymski, a biologist from the Department of Environmental Medicine, Medical University of Poznań.

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Dr. Lidia Stopyra, a specialist in infectious diseases and paediatrics, spoke to Medonet some time ago about the risk of simultaneous infection with diseases affecting the respiratory tract, namely flu and COVID-19. Each of these diseases can result in pneumonia, fluid in the lungs, respiratory failure, but also inflammation of the heart, brain, muscle tissue, sepsis. “If both viruses of this type accumulate, the damage can be very large,” warned Dr. Stopyra.

Fortunately, data from around the world shows that Omikron is not as dangerous as the flu or even Delta, so combining both variants of the coronavirus is unlikely to be as dangerous.

Delta and Omikron – differences

The Delta variant, marked with the symbol B.1.617.2, was first detected in India a year ago. An omicron (B.1.1.529) was detected in southern Africa in November.

The omicron spreads much faster than the Delta, but its symptoms are milder than the previous one. The risk of hospitalization and death is also lower.

1. New research: Omikron up 105 percent more contagious than Delta

The new variant is also more resistant to the vaccines currently in use, and therefore infects the vaccinated persons to a large extent, as well as those who have already been infected with the earlier variants.

Delmicron – symptoms

Symptoms of infection with the Omikron variant do not differ significantly from the symptoms of Delta infection, therefore the symptoms of Deltocron are also very similar to those occurring before.

The first reports mention such symptoms as:

1. higher temperature,
2. cough,
3. runny nose,
4. Headache,
5. sore throat,
6. loss or change in taste and / or smell.

A new superwariant?

Could the combination of Delta and Omicron create a new variant known as a super-variant? Moderna’s chief physician talked about such a risk some time ago.

– Omikron and Delta can hit people at the same time and combine to create an even worse variant of the coronavirus. And it could happen in the coming weeks, warned Dr. Paul Burton.

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However, according to Dr. Roman numerals are very unlikely. – If we want to talk about any recombination at all, we must know that in such a case the same cell would have to be infected at the same time by two variants, and not only the same organism – says the biologist.

And even if this recombination did occur, it does not necessarily mean a new, more dangerous variant.

– Remember that the Omikron and Delta variants are of course molecularly different, but they are still versions of the same SARS-CoV-2 virus. Possible recombination as a result of co-infection may do nothing to the virus or even be harmful to it – adds Dr. Rzymski.

Earlier recombinations of SARS-CoV-2 virus

So far, three variants have been recorded due to the combination of two others. However, none of them led to an uncontrolled outbreak or the emergence of a more dangerous version of the virus.

In one case, a recombination event occurred in the UK when the Alpha variant (formerly known as British, denoted by the symbol B.1.1.7) merged with B.1.177, which first appeared in Spain in late January. This led to 44 cases of infections.

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Another case was discovered in California. Researchers there in February identified recombination of variants Alpha and B.1.429 (called “Californian” and at that time recognized by the US CDC as alarm). This new strain also led to very few cases and quickly disappeared. Variant B.1.429 itself at the beginning of November was placed by the WHO outside the three most important categories of “threat”.

Also read:

1. Infection records could lead to the end of a pandemic. How it’s possible?
2. Omicron was not created in the human body? New facts on the origin of the variant
3. Doctors for COVID-19 patients: don’t wait until you start dying
4. Omikron is the cousin of the Wuhan virus, which will “let us burn”

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