Scientists: Omicron strain has the ability to integrate with other viruses

The head of the laboratory for critical infections at the Center for Basic Translational Medicine, Alexander Chepurnov, said the omicron coronavirus strain has the potential to integrate with other variants of COVID-19 while in the patient’s body.

“Not only by the abundance of the mutation, but also by the fact that it has an internal component in it, the Omicron strain was able to snatch out a tiny piece of another virus altogether, presumably linked to the characteristic of the common cold,” the virologist said.

He indicated that the presence of part of another virus in the Omicron strain may be evidence of its ability to exchange genetic material with other variants of the Corona virus.

Earlier, a new type of coronavirus was discovered in Cyprus, which is a mixture of Delta and Omicron strains.