Celebrity Health

Two of the most prominent strains of COVID have reportedly fused together in what sounds like a science fiction flick gone wrong -- churning out a mutated baby called ... "Deltacron."

Leondios Kostrikis -- a professor of biological sciences at the University of Cyprus and head of the Laboratory of Biotechnology and Molecular Virology there -- told local media this week that his team had discovered what they believe to be a new variant.

The way he describes it ... "omicron-like genetic signatures within the delta genomes," which essentially means there are traces of both strains within this new monstrosity.

Kostrikis says they've identified only 25 or so cases thus far in people, with a majority of them befalling folks who were hospitalized for COVID. Their findings are being sent to GISAID, which is the leading international database for all things 'rona, to be studied further.

While it might sound pretty scary, Kostrikis says we shouldn't freak just yet ... because he truly believes it's just a bug that'll probably fall to the wayside. He explains, "We will see in the future if this strain is more pathological or more contagious or if it will prevail," adding that he thinks regular omicron will displace it in the end.

Naomi Osaka announced she's pulling out of the semi-finals of an Australian Open warm-up tournament after she says her body went into "shock" from playing hard tennis ... after she took months off to focus on herself.

Now, the Australian Open -- already possibly without superstar Novak Djokovic -- could also be without one of women's tennis' biggest stars, Osaka.

Naomi, clearly bummed, announced she was withdrawing from the Melbourne Summer Set over an ab injury.

“I had a lot of fun playing here in Melbourne,” Osaka said in an official statement. “Unfortunately I have an abdominal injury which I need to rest and prepare for the Australian Open.”

Osaka expanded on the injury on social media, tweeting her body "got a shock from playing back to back intense matches after the break she took" ... forcing the former No.1 ranked women's tennis player to pull out at the last minute.

As we previously reported, Naomi returned to the tennis court in November ... after stepping away from the game to focus on herself following an emotional loss at the U.S. Open in September.

Osaka -- a four-time Grand Slam singles champion -- has been outspoken about her struggles with mental health in the past, infamously boycotting the media at the French Open.

And now, 24-year-old Osaka -- who was scheduled to play Veronika Kudermetova of Russia -- is sidelined once again ... as she tries to rehab her way back to competition.

It's a cold, cold world out there ... and it got even chillier for a handful of skiers in North Carolina, who got hosed down with freezing water while already in below-freezing temps.

Check out this insane video that was captured Friday on the Beech Mountain Resort, where officials say someone slammed into a water/air hydrant while coming down the slopes during snowmaking operations ... and apparently knocked the whole thing off.

As a result ... an enormous amount of H2O was shot straight up into the air for a good long while through the waterline down below, creating a geyser effect on the ski lift passenger directly above.

Yes, a fair amount of them got drenched passing through ... but, for some reason, it looks like these poor guests got stuck right in the middle of the water -- getting absolutely drenched. Unclear how long they stayed in this position, but it was at least 30 seconds or so based on the video above, which was shot by a bystander.

Considering the harsh conditions, you can imagine these people were worse for wear afterward. Two guests were reportedly taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries ... and some people are reported to have been blown off the chair lift altogether.

Sinead O'Connor's son has died, according to police ... it appears he took his own life, and Sinead is clearly angry at people who were in charge of taking care of the teen.

17-year-old Shane O'Connor apparently was on suicide watch in an Irish hospital just one day before he took his own life, but someone was able to leave. Sinead wrote the day before Shane's body was found, "Like, how has a seventeen-year-old traumatised young person WHO WAS ON SUICIDE WATCH in Tallaght Hospital's Lynn Ward been able to go missing???"

She went on ... "Hospital of course so far refusing to take any responsibility. Anything happens to my son on their watch? Lawsuits."

Police in Ireland issued this statement ... "Following the recovery of a body in the Bray area of Wicklow on Friday, 7th January 2022, a Missing Person Appeal in respect of Shane O’Connor, 17 years, has been stood down."

Sinead's rep confirmed her son's death, and she posted the tragic news as well, saying, "My beautiful son, Nevi'im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God."

She goes on ... "May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace:"

Police had been looking for Shane since Thursday, with Sinead pleading in a tweet, "Shane, your life is precious. God didn't chisel that beautiful smile on your beautiful face for nothing."

Her pleas got more desperate ... "This is a message for my son, Shane. Shane, it's not funny any more all this going missing. You are scaring the crap out of me. Could you please do the right thing and present yourself at a Gardai station. If you are with Shane please call the Gardai for his safety ... My world would collapse without you. You are my heart. Please don't stop it from beating. Please don't harm yourself. Go to the Gardai and let's get you to hospital."

The news has devastated the 55-year-old singer, who referenced a Bob Marley song ... "This is for my Shaney. The light of my life. The lamp of my soul. My blue-eye baby. You will always be my light. We will always be together. No boundary can separate us."

Shane's father is Donal Lunny, an Irish folk musician. He and Sinead are no longer together.

Shane was 17.

Novak Djokovic's attorneys say Australian border officials screwed up when they denied the tennis star entry into the country ... claiming he had COVID-19 last month, meaning he didn't have to comply with the vaccine mandate.

Attorneys for the 34-year-old tennis superstar filed docs with an Australian court on Saturday, according to the NY Times, arguing officials went against the advice of their own immunization advisory group when they canceled Novak's visa, believing he received a bogus exemption allowing him to skirt Australia's strict vaccine mandate.

Djokovic's lawyers say Australian health officials previously suggested recent COVID infections could exempt travelers from needing the vaccine. Novak's lawyers say their client had COVID in mid-December ... and should've been granted entry.

In fact, the attorneys say border officials "radically and fundamentally" misapplied guidelines set forth by the immunization health officials.

FYI, it wasn't publicly known that Djokovic had COVID in December 2021. However, it was known he contracted the virus in June 2020.

Of course, the defending Australian Open champ had his visa canceled when he landed in Melbourne on Thursday. Novak opted to appeal the decision, so rather than instantly being deported, he was taken to a quarantine hotel run by government officials.

Novak's family says he's being held captive ... while Australian officials have insisted the #1 tennis player in the world can leave whenever he wants.

Even before Djokovic touched down in Melbourne, his impending arrival kicked off a raging debate in the country ... with many upset, believing the tennis star was going to get preferential treatment.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison even got involved ... vowing to investigate the medical exemption Djokovic received, in order to check its legitimacy.

Djokovic has a hearing on Monday ... where his fate will be determined. If the cancelation of the visa is upheld, Novak won't only have to worry about missing this year's tournament. He could be banned from entering Australia for several years.

JoJo Siwa chatted with a 5-year-old cancer patient before surgery ... telling her everything would work out and she would kick cancer's butt.

As you see in the conversation between JoJo and Blakely Bergenfeld ... JoJo's a pro at putting her young fans at ease ... patiently answering the little girl's questions.

Blakely's parents, Jason and Kimberly Bergenfeld, tell TMZ ... the cancer diagnosis was sudden, after the little girl began experiencing headaches and fevers during a recent family ski trip.

We're told Blakely's parents took her to a pediatrician when they got back to L.A., and the doctor noticed her liver was swollen and rushed her to the ER at L.A. Children's Hospital.

Blakely's dad says his daughter underwent a series of tests, and that's when doctors discovered cancer in her kidney. She underwent surgery to remove a giant tumor on her kidney Friday.

We are told the surgery went even better than planned. She had to have her kidney removed because it was close to rupturing and would have been terminal if they had not treated it in time. The doctors also found tumors on her liver and lungs, which were removed. The doctors will know in the next few days exactly what stage and type of cancer she has, but she is stable and past the first step on her road to recovery.

It's been a whirlwind few days ... we're told Blakely had appeared completely healthy before she started feeling ill.

JoJo got involved after learning of Blakely's diagnosis through 'Dance Moms' star Kira Girard and her husband, who are close friends with the Bergenfelds.

Blakely is a huge JoJo fan and was supposed to meet her at the Nickelodeon awards last March before it was canceled due to COVID.

Dr. Peter Hotez says the key to getting the COVID pandemic under control is reducing the rise of variants in developing countries ... and his new vaccine could be just what doctors everywhere ordered.

The renowned vaccine expert joined us Friday on "TMZ Live" to tell us all about what could be a game-changing breakthrough -- his low-tech, low-cost vaccine, dubbed Corbevax.

Hotez, who's the Co-Director of Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, says the Delta and Omicron variants sprouted from unvaccinated populations in India and Africa ... and he says there will be more coming if people in developing nations don't get the shot. That's where his vaccine comes into play.

Corbevax is NOT an mRNA vaccine, and actually uses an older process he and his team started developing a decade ago. It's already been authorized in India, Bangladesh and Indonesia -- and because it's more affordable, he says they've cranked out more than 300 million doses!!!

John Mayer's not alone -- COVID-19 is running rampant among the promoter's crew working Dead & Company's Mexico festival, and it's forced the band to pull the plug on the whole event ... TMZ has learned.

Our production sources tell us more than 20 staffers for CID -- the promoter of the Playing in the Sand festival -- have tested positive for the virus. The two-weekend event was supposed to kick off this weekend in Cancun, but we're told that's not gonna happen now.

As it was, John Mayer already had to pull out on Wednesday due to catching COVID himself -- but, as they say, the band intended to play on ... until they got news of the outbreak.

We're told both this weekend and next have been canceled because they just can't pull off the event safely with so many staffers being infected.

AEW star Rey Fenix suffered a horrific arm injury in the middle of his match Wednesday night ... and -- **HUGE WARNING** -- the video of the incident is extremely graphic.

Fenix was wrestling against Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus in a tag-team event with his partner, Penta Zero Miedo, at AEW Dynamite ... when the gruesome injury occurred.

Luchasaurus slammed Fenix through a table -- and as the two wrestlers hit the ground, Fenix's arm got caught in an awkward position and snapped backward.

Fenix was in an extreme amount of pain -- video from the ringside angle shows he was screaming loudly after hurting the arm.

The 31-year-old was unable to finish the match -- and he was reportedly rushed to the hospital.

No word on his condition today ... but we've reached out to AEW for comment.

Jungle Boy and Luchasaurus, meanwhile, went on to win the match as AEW personnel tended to Fenix. Jungle Boy (Luke Perry's son) tweeted afterward he hoped the star's injury wasn't too bad.

"Wishing a speedy recovery to @ReyFenixMx," the wrestler wrote. "One of the very best in the world, and one of the greatest people. It’s always an honor to share the ring with you. Much love."

Fenix is one of AEW's brightest stars -- he's known for his high-flying aerial moves, and he's a big-time crowd favorite.

Get well soon.

Scary moment for Raheem Mostert -- the NFL running back's 3-year-old son was rushed to the hospital after suffering a high fever and other severe COVID-19 symptoms this week ... but thankfully, he's recovering back home.

The 49ers star's wife, Devon, shared the terrifying news on Wednesday ... posting a photo of their son, Gunnar, in an ambulance.

"If you think COVID is a joke, this is our sweet G man in an ambulance today after I called 911 because he was lethargic, skin was gray, lips were purple, and had a 103.5 temperature," Devon said.

"I'm crying even typing this ... this is all SO SCARY."

The good news is Gunnar is back home with his family ... but Mostert -- who is currently on the Niners' injured reserved list -- made it clear people should not be taking this virus lightly.

"I could say a lot, but I'm going to keep this short because my family gets 100% of my time right now," the 29-year-old said.

"Take COVID seriously! It's not a joke!!"

Raheem and Devon got married in 2017 and have 2 kids -- Gunnar and 1-year old Neeko. The couple also just announced they're expecting a third baby on the way last week.

Novak Djokovic isn't in the clear to play in the Australian Open just yet -- Prime Minister Scott Morrison is now demanding the tennis star show proof of his COVID vax medical exemption when he lands Down Under, or he'll be "on the next plane home."

Morrison made the announcement at a news conference on Wednesday ... saying government officials will not treat Djokovic differently than any other person entering the country -- even if the tennis player has already said he has received a valid exemption to the COVID rules.

"We await his presentation and what evidence he provides us to support that," Morrison said to reporters. "If that evidence is insufficient, then he won't be treated any different to anyone else and he'll be on the next plane home."

Morrison continued, "There should be no special rules for Novak Djokovic at all. None whatsoever."

As we previously reported, Aussie Open officials granted Djokovic -- the No. 1-ranked men's tennis player in the world -- a medical exemption earlier this month ... and Djokovic was pumped for the news.

The Serbian star wrote on his social media page on Tuesday that he was now headed to Australia to defend his tournament title ... showing a photo of him at an airport.

Morrison, though, said the dude better come with the proper paperwork, adding, "The issue is whether he has sufficient evidence to support that he would qualify for that exemption."

Australian Open officials said earlier this week that Djokovic's application "was granted following a rigorous review process" ... insisting he received no special treatment.

The tournament is slated to begin in less than two weeks on Jan. 17.

Jalen Hurts just fired off a letter to the NFL and Washington Football Team bluntly asking ... what are you gonna do to make sure fans and media aren't ever again put in a dangerous situation -- this after a railing collapsed at FedEx Field in D.C. on Sunday.

"I am writing to inquire about what follow-up action is being considered," Hurts said in the letter, "in response to the near-tragic incident that took place at FedEx Field on January 2, 2022."

"As you are aware, many individuals, including fans, media personnel, and myself, were placed in a dangerous situation when portions of the FedEx Field collapsed."

Of course, Hurts is alluding to the scary incident that occurred on Sunday following the Eagles 20-16 win over the WFT ... when a railing gave way as Jalen was walking into the stadium tunnel, sending several fans crashing to the ground.

Fans wearing Eagles jerseys were leaning over, trying to get as close to the star QB as possible ... when the railing collapsed.

Despite nearly getting crushed, Jalen didn't panic. The QB immediately sprang into action, helping the fans get back to their feet.

Hurts said the purpose of his letter was to ensure the NFL and WFT were going to take proactive measures to ensure this kind of situation doesn't happen again.

"As a result, I would like to know what safeguards the NFL and the Washington Football Team are Implementing to prevent this from ever occurring in the future."

Peter Dante -- who's been in just about every single Adam Sandler movie -- went OFF on an L.A. hostess who denied him service for not wearing a mask ... and it's all on video.

The actor's meltdown started Monday night when he was trying to get a table at Quarters Korean BBQ in L.A.'s Koreatown but was told he wouldn't be served.

In the video, you see a maskless Peter flipping out at the hostess -- who is standing next to a sign that says "No Mask No Entry" -- calling her "garbage" and "c***" before demanding to talk to her boss.

While he's waiting to talk to the manager, Peter gets in the face of another staffer and again refuses to put on a mask.

Eventually, Peter hits the road without further incident ... but folks who were there say the hostess was almost in tears.

TMZ broke the story ... Peter was arrested back in September after allegedly threatening to kill his neighbor over construction noise.

Peter was also thrown out of an L.A. hotel back in 2013 after allegedly making violent threats and hurling racial slurs.

Former MLB pitcher Jim Corsi passed away early Tuesday morning after a battle with liver and colon cancer. He was 60 years old.

The sad news comes just one day after an interview was released ... where Jim said, "I'm at peace. I know if I die, I'm going to a better place," according to Steve Burton of WBZ TV.

On Tuesday, Burton confirmed Corsi passed away overnight with his family at his side.

In the interview that aired Monday, Corsi -- who had been battling Stage IV liver cancer and terminal colon cancer -- urged people to stay on top of their health, something he wished he did a better job of in his younger years.

"I made a mistake when I was younger by not getting a colonoscopy," Corsi said.

"I was a professional athlete and thought I was invincible, strong. You’re not. Cancer is not prejudice to anybody."

But, despite his bout with cancer, Jim still managed to walk his daughter down the aisle during her wedding in October 2020 ... a moment he said he'll never forget.

Corsi -- who was drafted by the Yankees in 1982 -- played for five different teams ... but he spent most of his time in the big leagues with the A's and Red Sox.

During his MLB career, Corsi posted a career ERA of 3.25 and a 22-24 overall record as a relief pitcher.

Cody Simpson's sister is beyond lucky to be alive after breaking her neck while diving into a pool, and as if that wasn't bad enough ... she tested positive for covid-19.

Alli Simpson was immediately taken to an Australian hospital in an ambulance on New Year's Eve... after diving head-first into a shallow swimming pool, and hitting her head on the floor. She ended up having 2 severe fractures in her neck.

The 23-year old opened up about the scary event ... posting photos from the ambulance and Gold Coast University Hospital -- outside Brisbane. She says, "I am extremely lucky to be alive and/or not quadriplegic as it JUST missed my spinal chord..⁣"

Though she didn't have to get any immediate surgery, she will have to live in a neck brace for 4 straight months ... all day, every day.

She admitted this was not the best start to the year for her, but she was mainly optimistic and shared her gratitude... "to say the least - I have a new lease on life & will be forever grateful that it was not worse!!⁣"

She thanked her family, friends and the medical staff for their support ... and left some encouraging words for us all going into 2022 ... "hoping the start to your year has been a whole lot better than mine!! stay safe this year fam & DON’T DIVE INTO ANYTHING WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW IT’S DEPTH!!! 🤍🤍🤍 "

Novak Djokovic will defend his Australian Open title after all -- the Serbian tennis star just announced he will compete at the Grand Slam event after being granted a medical exemption from the COVID vaccine mandate.

"I've spent fantastic quality time with my loved ones over the break and today I'm heading Down Under with an exemption permission," Djokovic said on Instagram on Tuesday morning.

"Let's go 2022."

Djokovic's status for the tourney in Melbourne had previously been in question, as he was uncertain if he would participate due to concerns over Australia's quarantine rules and the event's vaccine mandate.

But, the Australian Open said Tuesday that officials conducted two reviews of Djokovic's application for a medical exemption and granted it -- paving the way for the star's return to the Aussie courts.

"Djokovic applied for a medical exemption which was granted following a rigorous review process involving two separate independent panels of medical experts,'' Australian Open officials said.

Added tournament director Craig Tiley, "Fair and independent protocols were established for assessing medical exemption applications that will enable us to ensure Australian Open 2022 is safe and enjoyable for everyone."

Novak -- the No. 1-ranked men's tennis player in the world -- is currently tied with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal with 20 grand slam titles ... and has won the last three Australian Open titles.