New ‘Cicada’ COVID-19 Variant BA.3.2 Spreading Across 25 U.S. States

Public health officials are closely monitoring a heavily mutated new version of COVID-19, known as the BA.3.2 variant, which has been detected in at least 25 U.S. States. While overall COVID-19 infections are currently declining across the nation, the variant—nicknamed “Cicada”—is gaining traction globally.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), BA.3.2 emerged over a year ago and remained relatively dormant until the fall of 2025, when it began to increase in prevalence across several countries, including the United States. This pattern of emerging after a period of dormancy led T. Ryan Gregory, Ph.D., a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Guelph, to name the strain “Cicada,” likening it to the insect that spends years underground before resurfacing.

A ‘Hyper-Mutated’ Threat to Immunity

The primary concern for scientists is the variant’s significant genetic mutations, particularly within its spike protein. Andrew Pekosz, Ph.D., a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, noted that these changes set BA.3.2 apart from other currently circulating strains. Because the virus has mutated so extensively, it may appear different to the human immune system, potentially reducing the effectiveness of protection gained from previous infections or vaccinations.

A recent study published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report supports these concerns, describing the strain as “hyper-mutated” and suggesting it may be better equipped to evade existing immunity. This ability to bypass immune defenses is a critical factor in determining how the variant will impact public health moving forward.

Tracking the Spread and Impact

The World Health Organization (WHO) officially classified BA.3.2 as a “variant under monitoring” in December 2025. The CDC continues to evaluate the lineage to determine its transmissibility, its ability to partially bypass prior immunity, and its overall clinical impact regarding the severity of illness and patient outcomes.

Data from early February 2026 highlights the breadth of the variant’s reach. During that period, the CDC detected BA.3.2 in:

• 132 wastewater samples across 25 U.S. States;
• Clinical samples from five patients;
• Nasal swabs from four travelers;
• Three airplane wastewater samples.

The ongoing tracking of BA.3.2 is essential for understanding whether new lineages can infect individuals who already possess some level of protection from vaccines or past illness. These findings could guide future vaccination strategies and help health providers anticipate changes in how the virus spreads through the population.

The emergence of the Cicada variant underscores the continuous evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the necessity of global surveillance to manage ongoing public health challenges.