What is Delmicron and why is it doing the rounds amidst Omicron threat?

After Covid-19 and Omicron, the new word that is now doing the rounds is Delmicron. While the world is still trying to figure out how to tackle the current Omicron wave alongside the already persistent Delta variant, a chatter can be heard surrounding Delmicron. It is a combination of both Delta and Omicron variants of the novel coronavirus. Since the past few days, the word Delmicron has been surfacing the social media making people feel more worried and threatened. But is Delmicron really a threat? Let us find out. 

Is Delmicron a new coronavirus variant? 
The latest reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggest that there’s no proof of another brand-new variant of coronavirus after Omicron. Also, SARS-COV-2 has not been detected to have gone into a consequential mutation after the last variant found during November 2021. So, as of now, it appears that the Delmicron chatter may have been a hoax. Moreover, we must keep in mind that the names of the coronavirus variants are named after Greek alphabets in the alphabetical order as well. So, chances are if a new coronavirus variant is at all found in the near future, it will be named ‘Pi’ as it comes right after ‘Omicron.’ 

Also, neither the US-based Centre for Disease Control and FDA nor the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Task Force for Covid-19 in India have confirmed the presence of Delmicron. 

Why are we then talking about Delmicron? 
The word Delmicron started trending when Dr. Shashank Joshi, a reputed member of the Maharashtra Covid-19 task force, had stated during a local press conference that “Delmicron, the twin spikes of Delta and Omicron in Europe and US has led to a mini tsunami of cases.” But it seems that this statement has been misinterpreted. What he meant was that there have been instances where both the Delta and the Omicron variants of the novel coronavirus have resulted in rise in the number of Covid-19 cases. What Dr. Joshi meant was that Delmicron is a situation where Delta and Omicron variants co-exist, sometimes in a single patient and mostly in and around the same place. This results in a spike in the number of cases and rapid spread of the virus.