Epidemiologist Issues Warning About New Covid-19 Hybrid Variant Deltacron

A US-based epidemiologist has lashed out at authorities scaling back Covid-19 pandemic preventatives.

Dr Eric Feigl-Ding has warned that the world is on the brink of another 'wave' of coronavirus as America moves to close its testing centres.

His takedown comes after a hybrid variant of the virus was detected across Europe and the US called BA2 - or Deltacron - as it is a nasty hybrid version of Delta and Omicron.

The US epidemiologist and health economist cautioned America as Covid-19 is being increasingly detected in sewerage, which he says 'parallels' Europe's Deltacron surge and may signal America is 'just a few weeks behind' them.

"We live in the STUPIDEST timeline -#BA2 is rising and inevitably surging, yet many states close most of their mass testing sites even when public health experts warn it is TERRIBLE HORRIBLE NO GOOD VERY BAD idea," he wrote on Twitter.

"Testing sites provide health officials with data to anticipate new surges and variants in a way that at-home rapid tests cannot."

Initial research into the Deltacron mutation shows this latest mutation has grabbed all of the nastiest parts of the two strains and could be highly potent and infectious.

Associate professor of microbiology and immunology at Louisiana State University Jeremy Kamil explained to NBC: "Delta basically grabbed Omicron's spike protein.

"This is essentially Delta trying to hang on by plagiarising from Omicron. The genomes get a bit acrobatic, and pieces can jump and then recombine together."

Dr Kamil said Deltacron was like the Delta variant getting a software upgrade while wearing Omicron's invisibility cloak.

The World Health Organisation's Maria Van Kerkhove recently said the new hybrid variant will likely pop up more in the next few weeks but is circulating 'at very low levels'.

As well as The WHOs seemingly relaxed approach, the Australian government has been considering changes to the nation's Covid-19 regulations, referring to an expert health panel to relax quarantine rules for close contacts.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously said that Aussies need to 'learn to live with the virus' - although that comment and national cabinet investigation came before Deltracron was deemed to be a threat.

Topics: News