Delta and Omicron are reuniting? Experts refute the rumor

Recently, there have been rumors on the Internet that "Delta and Omicron are co-circulating or recombining in northern China." Xu Wenbo, director of the Institute of Viral Diseases of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the rumor is false. At present, BA.5.2 and BF.7 of the Omicron variants are still the absolute dominant strains prevalent in the country . Xu Wenbo said that from December 1 to date, the whole genome sequencing of 1,142 cases has been completed nationwide. Sequencing suggests that Omicron BA.5.2 and BF.7 account for more than 80% of the total, which is an absolute advantage in the national prevalence. At present, a total of 9 subtypes have been detected and are prevalent in the country, and no characteristic genomic mutations have been found in these subtypes. At the same time, a total of 31 Omicron subbranches have been found in imported cases from December 1 to date, including BA.5.2 and BF.7. Among these 31 variants, both are also dominant.