The new highly mutated COVID-19 variant, BA.3.2., is spreading through the United States. The nickname for the new variant is “Cicada.” Dr. Robert H. Hopkins Jr. told USA Today that the name “Cicada” “comes from the rarely emerging insects because it has largely remained undetected or “underground” since its discovery.” The new COVID-19 variant has been recorded in 25 states so far.
According to USA Today, the “Cicada” variant was first detected in the United States in a person who was traveling abroad in the United States in June 2025. The first diagnosed U.S. citizen who contracted the new variant was in January of this year. The CDC reports that the new COVID-19 variant has appeared in California, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming.
Health experts are closely monitoring the “Cicada” variant, because it has a high number of mutations since the virus is a part of the Omicron family. According to the World Health Organization, Omicron variants of COVID-19 are highly contagious, and it is the dominant strain of the virus. According to AARP, the variant carries about 70-75 mutations in its spike protein. This means that it could be harder for the immune system to recognize and fight off the virus, even for the people who are vaccinated against COVID-19. Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert and professor of preventive medicine, told AARP in an interview, “There’s uncertainty about how well the vaccine-related immunity that we have, or even immunity from previous infections, might protect us against this variant.”
According to MySA, health experts are not seeing any surges in the “Cicada” variant where the new variant has been detected. Even though the virus can spread fast, experts are not seeing any alarming surges in COVID-19 cases. Health experts still warn people that the “Cicada” variant could mutate even more in the future. Dr. Hopkins told USA Today “It is possible we will see Cicada become the dominant strain in the U.S., but that is by no means certain.”
According to Stony Brook Medicine, symptoms of the “Cicada” variant include coughing, fatigue, low energy, fever, body aches, sore throat, sinus discomfort, headache, shortness of breath, nausea, and brain fog.
Health experts are recommending that people take preventive precautions from getting the virus by wearing a mask, keeping rooms ventilated, staying vaccinated, washing hands, distancing yourself from others who are sick, being mindful of health conditions, and checking COVID-19 levels in areas of travel. Even though the COVID-19 variant is newly mutated, health experts suggest that symptoms are not more severe than the previous strains of the virus.
