Omicron has been rapidly spreading across the world, with the United Kingdom, emerging as one of the hardest-hit countries along with the United States, South Africa, Belgium. 

The number of covid cases has seen a sharp increase across the world. This recent trend and a sharp rise in the number of cases are mostly fueled by the Omicron, which is a 'variant of concern'. What is Omicron? Why Is It A 'Variant of Concern'? How Can It Be Detected? Get Answers to FAQs on New COVID-19 Variant

Amid rising cases, a new term 'Delmicron' has gone viral, with people trying to find out what exactly does it mean and should they be worried.

Delmicron is the double variant of COVID-19 that is spreading increasingly in the West. This name has been derived by combining Corona's Delta Variant and Omicron Variant because at present these both variants are being found all over the world including India.

Currently both the US and UK are battling a tsunami of COVID-19 cases. In the US, the data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown that the rapidly spreading Omicron variant is now the dominant COVID-19 strain, representing 73 percent of sequenced cases.

Omicron has displaced the previously dominant Delta variant, which the CDC says is now an estimated 26.6 percent of sequenced cases for the week ending 18 December. Just one week earlier, Delta made up 87 percent of cases to Omicron’s 12.6 percent, the data shows.

Early data on the Omicron variant suggests it can be more resistant to vaccines and is more transmissible than the Delta variant. Countries worldwide have begun advising against foreign travel. 

Recently, Moderna chief medical officer Paul Burton said it was "certainly" possible Omicron and Delta could team up and create a more dangerous strain. His remark came when he was speaking to the UK Parliament's science and technology committee this week. 

An expert said that there is possible that Delta and Omicron could swap genes and trigger a variant, which is even more lethal. These events are scientifically called 'recombination events'. 

Still a lot more research is needed to gain detailed knowledge about the nature of Delmicron. However, being a combination of Delta and Omicron, Delmicron infection tends to show more or less the same symptom as its parent variants like a high temperature, a persistent cough, Headache, Runny nose and Sore throat.

With cases of Omicron still rising in the country, it is too early to tell how the omicron variant will behave in India as there is widespread exposure to the Delta variant.  Delmicron in India? No New Strain of Coronavirus Yet, Time to Fight Omicron, Say Health Experts

Since not much is known yet about 'Delmicron',  Covid-appropriate behaviours such as wearing masks and social distancing as well as avoiding unnecessary crowds remains a must.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 25, 2021 02:29 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).