New cases highlight reinfection risks as COVID-19 variants evolve.
Singapore — Individuals across the globe, including those in Singapore, are experiencing reinfections from the coronavirus that causes the ongoing pandemic. Reports indicate that people previously infected with the Delta variant are now contracting COVID-19 again, this time with the Omicron variant.
One such case was reported in The Straits Times on Sunday (Jan 16), featuring a Singapore Permanent Resident identified only as “John.” He first contracted COVID-19 while traveling abroad in May 2020, alongside his wife, before vaccines were available. They were infected with the Delta Plus variant, and John recalled taking “a while” to recover, suffering from a fever for three days and experiencing body aches.
In December, while traveling under the Vaccinated Travel Lane scheme, he was infected with the Omicron variant after sharing a flight with another COVID-positive individual. Fortunately, this second infection was significantly milder than the first.
“With the Omicron variant, I only experienced a scratchy throat, and I was grateful that my wife and child were overseas, as they might have been infected if they had traveled with me,” John told ST. His symptoms subsided after just four days.
By the time of his Omicron infection, John was fully vaccinated. His experience is not unique, as an increasing number of people report contracting Omicron after previously having Delta.
The Omicron variant, first identified in South Africa in November 2021, raised alarms among health experts due to its ability to evade immunity from previous infections and vaccinations. Professor Catherine Bennett, Chair in Epidemiology at Deakin University in Australia, stated on ABC TV, “We know that Omicron has higher rates of reinfection, particularly in individuals who have previously had Delta.”
She further noted that even if a person has cleared an Omicron infection, they can still be vulnerable to Delta, highlighting the ongoing risk of reinfection.
Omicron After Delta is Not ‘Deltacron’
Experiencing an Omicron infection following recovery from Delta is distinct from what is known as a ‘Deltacron’ infection, which reportedly combines elements of both variants. The term ‘Deltacron’ emerged last week following its discovery in Cyprus.
“There are currently Omicron and Delta co-infections, and we found this strain that combines the two,” said Leondios Kostrikis, professor of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus and head of the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Virology.
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) later refuted this claim. “What we believe occurred is contamination during the sequencing process,” explained Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19.
She clarified that it is possible for individuals to be infected with different variants of the coronavirus, known as SARS-CoV-2. “Let’s refrain from using terms like Deltacron, flurona, or flurone. These terms suggest a combination of viruses or variants, and that is not happening,” Dr. Van Kerkhove emphasized.
