A new strain of COVID-19, known as Cicada, is spreading in the United States and globally, drawing the attention of public health officials.
The variant, BA.3.2, has been found in at least 25 US states as of February, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It has also been identified in more than 20 countries and is becoming more common in some parts of Europe.
Experts say this variant stands out because of the number of mutations it has, especially in the spike protein.
“It has a lot of mutations that can cause it to look different to your immune system,” Andrew Pecos, a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told TODAY.com.
The changes may reduce protection from previous infection or vaccination, according to the findings published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Despite this, early evidence suggests the variant is not causing more severe disease.
“There is no evidence that BA.3.2 is causing more severe disease or hospitalization in countries where it is more widespread,” Dr. Adolfo GarcÃa Sastre told TODAY.com.
The strain was first identified in South Africa in late 2024 and has since evolved with dozens of mutations.
It is classified as a “variant under surveillance” by the World Health Organization.
