'Deltacron' Scare: Experts Warn COVID Mutation is Likely Caused by Lab Contamination

Experts warned Monday that a claimed hybrid coronavirus mutation known as "Deltacron" identified in a Cyprus lab was likely the consequence of lab contamination rather than a new alarming variety.

The finding was first announced by Cypriot media on Saturday, with the discovery having "the genetic basis of the Delta variation coupled with some of the mutations of Omicron."

While genetically integrating coronaviruses is feasible, it is uncommon, and experts studying the finding of so-called "Deltacron" believe it is implausible.

"The Cypriot 'Deltacron' sequences published by multiple big media outlets appear to be pretty plainly contamination," tweeted Tom Peacock, a virologist from Imperial College London's infectious diseases department, over the weekend.

Genetic Alterations

According to Jeffrey Barrett, the reported alterations are located on a section of the genome that is sensitive to mistake in particular sequencing processes, the leader of the Covid-19 Genomics Initiative at the Wellcome Sanger Institute in the United Kingdom.

He added Monday, "This is probably definitely not a biological recombinant of the Delta and Omicron lineages."

Combatting Misinformation

Scientists are keen to combat a flood of misinformation regarding Covid-19, much of which is disseminated online.

Unverified allegations of a "flurona" or "flurone" virus spreading last week - a mix of the flu and the coronavirus - were discounted by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday.

"We're not going to use terminology like Deltacron, Flurona, or Flurone." Please," Maria van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the World Health Organization, tweeted.

"These phrases indicate a mixture of viruses/variants, which is not the case," she explained.

Influenza and Coronavirus

While influenza and coronavirus can both affect humans simultaneously, the two viruses cannot coexist.

In contrast to emerging Covid-19 variations like Omicron, which have significantly influenced the pandemic's progress, incidences of flu and coronavirus infection are not uncommon.

Since the outbreak, the coronavirus has produced dozens of variations, four of which have been labeled "of concern" by the World Health Organization: Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron.

Why do Viruses Mutate?

Viruses, like all living organisms, undergo changes during their lives. If a mutation gives a strain an edge in survival, it becomes the dominant strain. The COVID-19 virus continues to adapt to evade its predator, the human immune system, just as chameleons have evolved to alter skin pigment hues to avoid predators.

A viral mutation is a slight alteration in the virus's genome. The virus becomes more unstable and susceptible as a result of some alterations. Some mutations enhance the pace of transmission and the severity of the disease. We get concerned when a virus's alterations make it more lethal, infectious, or both.

Because there are so many viruses and hosts (humans) out there, viral mutation develops swiftly over weeks to months. SARS-CoV2 has been gaining two mutations in its genome (complete set of DNA) every two weeks since it was initially found. Although this may appear to be a large number, the influenza virus mutates considerably quicker.

For more health and medicine related news, don't forget to follow Nature World News!