Covid-19: After Gates, Israeli study also warns of the next fatal outbreak
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Days after Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ warning, a modeling study conducted in Israel has also warned of another outbreak of Delta or a different coronavirus strain this summer itself, as the Omicron sub-variants may burn themselves out in the next couple of months.
Findings of the study, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, suggested that while the Delta variant wiped out the preceding variants, Omicron has not eliminated the deadly variant (Delta), which could re-emerge.
Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) in Israel developed sensitive arrays that can differentiate variants from each other in wastewater which shows where the coronavirus is active, even when PCR and rapid testing of people declines, the media reported on Wednesday.
The researchers monitored sewage in Beer-Sheva city of Israel from December 2021 to January 2022 and noticed a “disturbing interaction” between the Omicron and Delta variants. They also built a model which predicted that while Omicron is burning itself out, the deadly Delta variant is just biding its time.
“Of course, there are a lot of factors involved, but our model shows there could be another outbreak of Delta or another coronavirus variant this summer,” said Professor Ariel Kushmaro from BGU in a statement.
Until now, the researchers said, whenever a new, dominant, variant appeared, it overpowered its predecessor after a short parallel period.
However, fresh studies showed a cryptic circulation of Delta even with the increased levels of Omicron, they said.
“According to the developed model, they can expect that the Omicron levels will decrease until eliminated, while Delta variant will maintain its cryptic circulation,” the authors of the study noted.
“If this comes to pass, the mentioned cryptic circulation may cause the re-emergence of a Delta morbidity wave or in the generation of a new threatening variant,” they said.
The Israeli researchers, including Karin Yaniv from BGU, said Omicron is still spreading swiftly around the world with record morbidity reports.
Unlike the Delta variant, earlier viewed as the main Variant Of Concern (VOC) in most countries, the dynamics of the Omicron variant have shown different characteristics.
