BENGALURU: The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), the Covid-19 genomic surveillance committee, is on the alert after Deltacron cases have now been traced in the UK, the USA and also in Australia.
Deltacron, a SARS-CoV-2 virus variant with properties of both the Delta and Omicron variants, has not been found in India so far. But a few cases with mixed infection were seen during the Omicron wave.
“When we talk of combination variants, which happen because of recombination of variants, and not mutation, we will still have to do the same thing as what we did do for a mutated variant. We will have to look at its clinical picture, transmission ability, epidemiological data, etc., that will reveal the consequence of that variant,” explained Dr Gagandeep Kang, one of India’s foremost virologists and member of the Covid-19 Working Group under the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI).
The mutant virus, also being called Deltacron, is thought to have evolved in a patient who may have caught both the Delta and Omicron variants at the same time, but it is not yet established if it was imported or originated in the UK, which first reported the recombinant virus.
Explaining further, Dr Kang said, “Whether it is Deltacron or any other variant, we need sufficient number of cases to understand whether the disease is more severe, escapes immune response or is more transmissible. Definitely, the INSACOG will track it here too.”
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The INSACOG recently held a meeting to review the situation in India and, according to its members, it found that the Deltacron variant, which has been seen in some countries, has not been found so far in India.
However, there were some cases of mixed infection due to the Delta and Omicron variants.
“The UK has called it a Variant Under Investigation. Officials in the UK Health Security Agency themselves have said that they don’t yet know how infectious or severe the newly evolved virus is or whether it will impact the performance of the existing vaccines. However, INSACOG is watching the situation closely. In Karnataka at least, we have not found this variant,” said Dr V Ravi, Nodal Officer for genome sequencing, INSACOG.
Experts in India believe that several recombinant variants have been detected during the pandemic, “There is no reason to panic. Let’s wait for more evidence,” Dr Ravi added.