“Deltacron” is not yet a variant of covid, it is possible that the samples were contaminated in the laboratory, said Kamil Khafizov, head of the scientific group for the development of new diagnostic methods based on sequencing technologies at the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor. Earlier, a hybrid of omicron and delta strains was identified in Cyprus, and 25 sequences of the new variant were deposited in the international GISAID database on January 7, 2022. But the so-called “deltacron” may well turn out to be the contamination of strains, such mixtures are possible if the samples were taken by an insufficiently experienced laboratory assistant. Therefore, it is too early to discuss a new strain, especially since other laboratories have not announced something similar.
Earlier it was reported that scientists working in the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Virology of the University of Cyprus discovered “deltacron” – a hybrid strain of coronavirus, which has a genetic basis as in the “delta” variant, as well as a number of mutations inherent in the “omicron” strain. According to the head of the laboratory, Leontios Kostrikis, the researchers found the “deltacron” in 25 samples taken on the island. However, only 11 of these 25 samples were taken from people with symptoms of COVID-19. The rest are in residents without any symptoms.
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