“Deltacron” watch is officially back on.
Last month, medical experts were dismissive or claims that a new COVID-19 variant — a combination of the fast-spreading Omicron and Delta strains — had been discovered.
but in a report published Friday, UK health officials revealed Deltacron is officially being monitored as a legitimate threat, The Mirror reported†
Delta and Omicron have proven to be more contagious than the original form of the bug. However, it is not yet clear how contagious or widespread the new strain is, with cases reported to be low.
Scientists believe the new variant evolved in a patient who caught both the Omicron and Delta variants at the same time, the report said.
The development comes weeks after initial reports of a Deltacron variant were dismissed, after a doctor in Cyprus reported detecting it†
Confirmed UK virus cases dropped 29% in the past week and are down 76% since their peak at the beginning of the year.
The US has seen an even bigger decline in new cases, with the total down 46% in the past week and down 86% since topping 1.1 million per day in mid-January.
Fragments of strains that are unlike any known COVID variants have also been found in the New York city sewer system.
