The new COVID-19 strain, named “Cicada,” is spreading and raising concerns. On social media, several individuals claiming to have had it shared harrowing details about the symptoms they had.
The new Covid-19 strain, called BA.3.2 or “Cicada,” is attracting closer attention. One reason is the many changes in the variant’s spike protein, which make it different from other versions now spreading.
“Perhaps more concerning is the variant’s slew of genetic changes in its spike protein, which set it apart from other variants circulating,” Andrew Pekosz, Ph.D., a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said in an interview with TODAY.
The virus that causes COVID-19 keeps changing as it spreads. This is normal and leads to the emergence of new variants over time. Most variants today are very similar to each other, with only minor differences. But according to experts, BA.3.2 is not like the others — it clearly stands out.
Scientists report that this variant was first identified in South Africa in 2024, but it remained largely unnoticed for an extended period before reemerging.
It has now been detected in over 20 countries worldwide. According to the CDC, it is currently circulating in at least 25 U.S. states.
