A new COVID-19 variant known as BA.3.2, nicknamed 'Cicada', is raising concern among health officials in the United States. The strain, described as 'hyper mutated' due to 70–75 changes in its spike protein, circulated quietly for over a year before emerging more widely.
As of February 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed its presence in at least 25 states. Scientists are monitoring the variant closely because of its potential to evade immunity from prior infection or vaccination.
