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VIRAL THREAT

Delta-Omicron Covid hybrid – dubbed ‘deltacron’ – detected in UK as experts warn immunity is waning in elderly

A HYBRID Covid variant of Delta and Omicron has been confirmed by scientists - as immunity starts to wane in the UK. 

Dubbed “Deltacron”, the new strain combines features of both lineages, but it is not known if it’s any more dangerous.

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A Covid hybrid variant has been detected in Europe, including in the UKCredit: Getty

At least 41 patients with Deltacron Covid, first flagged in January, have been identified in the US and Europe. 

A "very small" number of cases have been detected in the UK, health chiefs told The Sun, with more details to be reported in a briefing tomorrow.

In February, the UK Health Security Agency classed the variant as a “signal under investigation”.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it is “tracking and discussing” the variant’s properties.

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It comes as hospitalisations in the UK show an uptick, feared to be driven by waning immunity in the elderly.

It will fuel the Government to get going on its spring booster vaccine programme. Although no date for the rollout has been announced.

Historically, a surge in hospital admissions follows that of cases, which has not been reported on the coronavirus dashboard.

But experts say infections are several times higher than the dashboard portrays, after testing has been largely scaled back since the Omicron wave.

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The ZOE Covid Symptom Study estimates almost 175,200 people are catching Covid each day - 20 per cent higher in one week.

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The figure is more than five times higher than the daily confirmed cases reported each day on the dashboard. 

Professor Tim Spector, co-founder and scientist of ZOE, said: “The ‘official’ UK dashboard rate that continues to provide a misleading picture of the pandemic in the UK and should be scrapped.

“The major increase in new cases across the country and in the elderly is a worry, especially as we now see an uptick in hospitalisations for the first time. 

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