Covid Cicada Variant Explained: What We Know About BA.3.2 Which Has Spread In 25 States In The US

A new variant of the virus responsible for COVID-19 has begun appearing in surveillance data across the United States. Scientists have nicknamed it the Cicada variant, officially designated BA.3.2. The nickname evokes something periodic and mysterious: like the insects that emerge after long cycles underground. The analogy fits: BA.3.2 didn’t arrive with a sudden wave of illness. Instead, it appeared in genomic data, gradually surfacing in samples collected from around the world.

As of February 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) and the World Health Organization noted it had appeared in at least 23 countries and accounted for up to 30% of cases in some Eastern European locales. The United States may be following suit, according to new data. Information gathered by WasteWaterSCAN, a Stanford University-led tool for tracking the spread of disease, found that it is now picking up speed in the US.

Says Dr. Aravinda S N, Lead Consultant - Internal Medicine, Aster RV Hospital, Bengaluru, “The ongoing development of COVID-19 results in the appearance of new subvariants which include BA.3.2 that belongs to the Omicron lineage. The variant exhibits high transmissibility which enables it to spread between people with ease. The virus typically causes mild to moderate illness in most people especially vaccinated individuals who experience upper respiratory tract symptoms instead of lung symptoms.”

First Spotted in South Africa

The story of BA.3.2 begins in South Africa, where it was first detected in November 2024. From there, the variant slowly began appearing in international surveillance systems that track changes in the coronavirus genome. By February, scientists had identified BA.3.2 in samples from 23 different countries, suggesting that it had traveled across borders along the same global routes that have spread many variants before it.

In the United States, the variant first appeared in June 2025, when it was detected in a traveller arriving from the Netherlands. That discovery came through the virus-monitoring network run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, whose genomic surveillance program continuously sequences virus samples to track emerging mutations. But the traveller was just the beginning. Soon afterward, scientists found evidence of the variant in nasal swabs from several other travellers, a handful of patient samples, and in airplane wastewater samples.

Wastewater surveillance has become one of the most powerful tools for detecting emerging variants. Viral fragments shed in human waste accumulate in sewage systems, giving scientists a kind of community-wide snapshot of infection patterns. In the case of BA.3.2, researchers identified the variant in 132 wastewater samples across 25 U.S. states. These signals don’t necessarily mean large outbreaks are underway. But they do provide an early warning system, allowing scientists to detect variants long before they dominate case counts.

Says Dr. Mohammed Shakeel Sillat, Consultant - Infectious Diseases, Fortis hospital, Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru, "The emergence of the BA.3.2 subvariant, also called the “Cicada” variant, shows that the COVID-19 virus is still changing over time. Current research does not provide definite proof that this variant leads to more severe disease or increased hospital admissions when compared to the latest Omicron variants. Most reported cases remain mild, with symptoms similar to earlier strains such as fever, sore throat, cough, and fatigue. However, one important aspect to be noted of this variant is its high mutation load, particularly in the spike protein."

Studies indicate that BA.3.2 carries a large number of mutations, which make it less recognisable to the immune system and allow the virus to escape immunity. Explains Dr. Sillat, "In general language, this means people who already infected earlier or have taken vaccines may still get infected again with this new variant. But in India, many people have already gained hybrid immunity from past infection and vaccination and because of this immunity, we may see milder reinfections instead of a rise in severe cases."

What Are The Symptoms?

According to Dr. Aravinda S N, “The BA.3.2 variant presents with common symptoms that include fever sore throat cough nasal congestion fatigue body aches and headaches. Some may also experience a temporary loss of taste or smell although this is less frequent than in earlier waves. The illness typically lasts for a short duration but its intensity depends on the patient's age and health condition. Preventive measures continue to hold critical importance.”

Vaccinated individuals, in particular, tend to experience symptoms limited to the upper respiratory tract rather than severe lung involvement.

Adds infectious diseases specialist Dr. Sillat, "The symptoms of BA.3.2 appear similar to other Omicron variants, which include fever, sore throat, cough, and tiredness, and most cases remain mild. We observe that children actually show higher vulnerability because they have experienced less vaccination and previous illness than other groups. We also advise parents to stay alert to symptoms and follow basic precautions, especially in during school and social activities."

Highly Mutated Spike Protein

What makes the Cicada variant particularly interesting is its genetic makeup. Compared with the variants used in last year’s vaccines, BA.3.2 carries an unusually large number of mutations. Specifically, scientists have identified around 70 to 75 mutations in the spike protein, the molecular structure the virus uses to attach to human cells.

For virologists, the spike protein is essentially the virus’s key to entering the body. It is also the primary target of vaccines and antibodies. When that key changes shape through mutations, it can potentially alter how the virus spreads... or how well immune defences recognize it. Laboratory studies cited in the CDC report suggest that BA.3.2 can partially evade certain antibodies, meaning it may bypass some of the immune protection built through prior infection or vaccination.

Despite its extensive mutations, the Cicada variant is not currently causing large outbreaks. According to data collected between December 2025 and February 2026, BA.3.2 accounted for less than 0.2% of COVID sequences in the United States. Dr. Aravinda notes that a combination of vaccination, mask usage in crowded spaces, good hand hygiene, and staying home when symptoms appear continues to reduce transmission.

References:

• https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/75/wr/mm7510a1.htm
• https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/documents/epp/tracking-sars-cov-2/05122025_ba.3.2_ire.pdf

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