Scientists have reportedly found a new hybrid of the omicron and delta coronavirus variants, but believe that the new variant is unlikely to cause much trouble.

According to the New York Times on Saturday, Scott Nguyen, a scientist with the Washington, D.C. Public Health Laboratory, found the new hybrid in February while inspecting GISAID, an international database of coronavirus genomes.

Nguyen reportedly found samples collected in France in January that researchers had identified as a mix of delta and omicron variants.

Some researchers thought that people can be infected by two coronavirus variants at once, but Nguyen reportedly concluded that each virus carried a combination of genes from the two variants, which are called "recombinants."

Nguyen said he found more possible recombinants in the Netherlands and Denmark.

However, experts reportedly said that there are a number of reasons not to panic about the new hybrid, noting that the recombinant is extremely rare.

Etienne Simon-Loriere, a virologist at the Institut Pasteur in Paris, said the new variant would not represent a new phase of the pandemic.