"Deltakron": New Corona variant discovered - but experts now suspect analytical errors

Created: 01/10/2022Updated: 01/10/2022, 11:57 AM

From: Richard Strobl

A biological-technical assistant prepares the sequencing of positive PCR tests in the PCR analysis in the laboratory of the Lower Saxony State Health Office (NLGA) (scene provided).

© Julian Stratenschulte / dpa

While Omikron is still spreading, a new hybrid variant of the coronavirus has now appeared in the EU: "Deltakron".

But this is probably an analytical error.

Update from January 10, 11:48 a.m

.: In Cyprus, researchers supposedly discovered a mixed variant of the omicron and delta types of the corona virus.

However, according to current expert opinion, the evidence should go back to a contamination during the analysis.

“These genomes are very likely artifacts,” explained Richard Neher from the University of Basel (Switzerland), leading expert on virus variants.

The omicron mutations that were observed here in connection with delta genome sequences all affect a DNA segment that is often very weak in the case of delta detection and is therefore very susceptible to contamination.

Other experts on Twitter, such as WHO expert Maria van Kerkhove, expressed a similar opinion: The result is likely to be due to contamination during sequencing. 

"It is entirely possible that there are recombinants, but so far no major outbreaks with such variants have been observed," emphasized Neher.

"These genomes from Cyprus are probably not recombinants." A member of the Greek crisis team for the corona pandemic, Gikas Magiorkinis, also stated that Kostrikis' (professor who discovered the mixed variant) conclusions were wrong.

"First analyzes show that it is a technical error by the laboratory," tweeted the epidemiologist.

Kostrikis himself initially did not want to admit a misjudgment, he insisted on his results on Monday.

New Corona variant "Deltakron" discovered in Cyprus

Initial report

: Nicosia - The new Omikron variant is also spreading more and more in Germany.

It is increasingly becoming the dominant Corona * mutant and displacing the delta type of virus.

But a newly discovered variant is now causing a stir: It is supposed to carry parts of both types and was consequently christened "Deltakron".

“Deltakron” was discovered in Cyprus, according to a report by

.

Professor Leonios Kostrikis from the University of Cyprus and his team have therefore discovered the new type and given it the hybrid name of Delta and Omikron because of its properties.

So far, 25 infections with the new type are known.

New Corona variant "Deltakron" discovered

Accordingly, the variant shows protein structures from both previous mutations.

However, it is completely open what that means for the dangerousness of "Deltakron".

The Omikron * variant is much more contagious than the previously dominant Delta variant and is increasingly displacing it.

The advantage: According to the current state of knowledge, Omikron seldom leads to difficult processes.

Christian Drosten also agreed to this thesis with reservations.

So does “Deltakron” combine these two dangerous properties?

That is not yet clear.

Epidemiologist Klaus Stöhr considers this to be very unlikely, as he reported to the

: "Just because one virus has the surface properties of two others or because mutations of two variants combine does not mean that they also have the same clinical effects."

He also pointed out that new variants would appear all the time - as most recently in France.

However, a mutation would only very rarely become regionally dominant - even more rarely nationwide.

The Cypriot scientist Kostrikis, who discovered the type, also believes it is more likely that Omikron will prevail, according to the report.