New COVID Variant Detected!

A new COVID variant has been detected — just as several U.S. states are loosening pandemic restrictions.

This week, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the new variant, dubbed Deltacron — a combination of Delta and Omicron — has been detected in European countries such as France, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

In a study published Tuesday, IHU Méditerranée Infection’s Philippe Colson said, “The hybrid genome harbors signature mutations of the two lineages,” specifically from GK/AY.4 (Delta) and GRA/BA.1 (Omicron).

“This is to be anticipated, particularly with the extreme circulation of Omicron and Delta,” added WHO’s Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove on Twitter.

According to News9, the new strain was recognized in a number of areas in France and has been circulating since early January 2022.

Reuters adds that researchers have identified 17 confirmed instances in both Europe and the United States.

However, the IHU study noted that more cases would need to be identified for researchers to determine the severity of the variant.

“We have not seen any change in the epidemiology with this recombinant. We haven’t seen any change in severity. But there are many studies that are underway,” WHO COVID-19 technical lead Van Kerkhove said at a Wednesday press briefing.

While Van Kerkhove said, “There are very low levels of this detection [of the Deltacron variant],” she added, “Unfortunately this virus will take opportunities to continue to spread.”

As reported by The New York Times, several states including California and Hawaii have relaxed or eliminated their mask mandates due to reported coronavirus cases dipping to their lowest level since December.

However, on Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that the Transportation Security Administration is extending the federal requirement that travelers must wear masks at airports, and on airplanes, trains, and buses through April 18. The mandate was set to expire on March 19.