'Cicada' COVID variant detected in multiple countries as experts study mutation risks

A new strain of COVID-19 known as the Cicada is spreading in the United States and globally, drawing attention from public health officials.

The variant, BA.3.2, has been detected in at least 25 US states as of February, according to the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. 

It has also been identified in more than 20 countries and is becoming more common in parts of Europe.

Experts say the variant stands out due to the number of mutations it carries, particularly in the spike protein.

“It has a lot of mutations that may cause it to look different to your immune system,” Andrew Pekosz, a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told TODAY.com.

The changes may reduce protection from previous infections or vaccination, according to findings published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Despite this, early evidence suggests the variant is not causing more severe illness.

“There’s no evidence that BA.3.2 is causing more severe disease or hospitalizations in countries where it’s more widespread,” Dr. Adolfo García Sastre told TODAY.com.

The strain was first identified in South Africa in late 2024 and has since evolved with dozens of mutations.

It has been classified as a “variant under monitoring” by the World Health Organization.