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Ishita Roy

Unique Symptoms Of 'Cicada' The Highly Mutated New COVID Variant Of 2026

A new, highly mutated COVID variant called '<span>Cicada</span>' is spreading in the US. This is the BA.3.2 mutation of the COVID-19 variant. While nationally the cases of COVID have remained low, the BA.3.2 strain is gaining traction across the globe.

<h2>What Is The Cicada COVID Variant?</h2>

Cicada or the BA.3.2 strain emerged over a year ago, and simmered until last fall. However, this was when it started ramping up in countries including the US. As of February, BA.3.2 has been detected in at least 25 states, noted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

The variant's slew of genetic changes in its spike protein is what has made people concerned. This is what makes it unique and distinct from other variants in circulation. 

According to Andrew Pekosz, Ph.D., a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, as reported by <em>TODAY.com</em>, "It [the variant] has a lot of mutations that may cause it to look different to your immune system."

The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 mutates constantly and spreads over time. It thus leads to emergence of new variants. 

A new study published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report suggests that emerging variants could weaken protection gained from prior COVID-19 infection or vaccination.

One such “hyper-mutated” strain, BA.3.2, is now being closely tracked by public health officials. In December 2025, the World Health Organization classified it as a “variant under monitoring.”

Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/covid-variant-ba-3-2-spreads-to-23-countries-is-the-variant-under-monitoring-a-cause-of-worry-article-153924347/amp" data-type="tilCustomLink">COVID Variant BA.3.2 Spreads To 23 Countries: Is The Variant Under Monitoring A Cause Of Worry?</a>

<h2>When Was Cicada COVID Variant First Detected?</h2>

BA.3.2 was first detected in South Africa in November 2024. It is a descendant of BA.3, an Omicron subvariant that appeared in 2022 and briefly circulated alongside BA.1 and BA.2, according to the CDC.

Although BA.3 never became dominant, it did not completely disappear. “It fizzled out, but persisted at low levels,” said Pekosz. After two years and dozens of mutations, BA.3.2 eventually emerged.

For much of 2024, the variant spread quietly, overshadowed by dominant strains like Nimbus and XFG, which stem from BA.2. However, by September, BA.3.2 began gaining ground. “It was under the radar, replicating, until it started spreading more efficiently between people,” Pekosz noted.

What sets BA.3.2 apart is its spike protein, which carries an unusually high number of mutations — around 70 to 75. This makes it significantly different from strains such as JN.1 and LP.8.1, which current COVID-19 vaccines are designed to target.

The CDC describes BA.3.2 as a “genetically distinct” lineage compared to recent variants. Early laboratory studies suggest it may be capable of evading existing immunity, as its spike protein changes help it escape neutralising antibodies.

The BA.3.2 variant is nicknamed by T Ryan Gregory, Ph.D., a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Guelph. He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Well, it's that time again. Meet "Cicada", BA.3.2* (including descendant RE.*). This one has been underground for years (its ancestor BA.3 hasn't been circulating since early 2022, and didn't do much then either) but is now emerging as a contender for the next major lineage."

While most of the symptoms of this new variant remains same as from the other variants, one thing that stands out here is the gastrointestinal symptoms that cicada could cause. However, experts note that this variant will not make anyone more sicker. Other symptoms include:

<ul><li>Cough</li><li>Fever or chills</li><li>Sore throat</li><li>Congestion</li><li>Shortness of breath</li><li>Loss of smell or taste</li><li>Fatigue</li><li>Headache</li></ul>

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A new, highly mutated COVID variant called 'Cicada' is spreading in the US. This is the BA.3.2 mutation of the COVID-19 variant. While nationally the cases of COVID have remained low, the BA.3.2 strain is gaining traction across the globe.What Is The Cicada COVID Variant?Cicada or the BA.3.2 strain emerged over a year ago, and simmered until last fall. However, this was when it started ramping up in countries including the US. As of February, BA.3.2 has been detected in at least 25 states, noted the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The variant's slew of genetic changes in its spike protein is what has made people concerned. This is what makes it unique and distinct from other variants in circulation. According to Andrew Pekosz, Ph.D., a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, as reported by TODAY.com, "It [the variant] has a lot of mutations that may cause it to look different to your immune system."The SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 mutates constantly and spreads over time. It thus leads to emergence of new variants. A new study published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report suggests that emerging variants could weaken protection gained from prior COVID-19 infection or vaccination.One such “hyper-mutated” strain, BA.3.2, is now being closely tracked by public health officials. In December 2025, the World Health Organization classified it as a “variant under monitoring.”Read: COVID Variant BA.3.2 Spreads To 23 Countries: Is The Variant Under Monitoring A Cause Of Worry?When Was Cicada COVID Variant First Detected?BA.3.2 was first detected in South Africa in November 2024. It is a descendant of BA.3, an Omicron subvariant that appeared in 2022 and briefly circulated alongside BA.1 and BA.2, according to the CDC.Although BA.3 never became dominant, it did not completely disappear. “It fizzled out, but persisted at low levels,” said Pekosz. After two years and dozens of mutations, BA.3.2 eventually emerged.For much of 2024, the variant spread quietly, overshadowed by dominant strains like Nimbus and XFG, which stem from BA.2. However, by September, BA.3.2 began gaining ground. “It was under the radar, replicating, until it started spreading more efficiently between people,” Pekosz noted.What sets BA.3.2 apart is its spike protein, which carries an unusually high number of mutations — around 70 to 75. This makes it significantly different from strains such as JN.1 and LP.8.1, which current COVID-19 vaccines are designed to target.The CDC describes BA.3.2 as a “genetically distinct” lineage compared to recent variants. Early laboratory studies suggest it may be capable of evading existing immunity, as its spike protein changes help it escape neutralising antibodies.What Makes Cicada So Unique?The BA.3.2 variant is nicknamed by T Ryan Gregory, Ph.D., a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Guelph. He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "Well, it's that time again. Meet "Cicada", BA.3.2* (including descendant RE.*). This one has been underground for years (its ancestor BA.3 hasn't been circulating since early 2022, and didn't do much then either) but is now emerging as a contender for the next major lineage."Well, it&#39;s that time again. Meet &quot;Cicada&quot;, BA.3.2* (including descendant RE.*). This one has been underground for years (its ancestor BA.3 hasn&#39;t been circulating since early 2022, and didn&#39;t do much then either) but is now emerging as a contender for the next major lineage.&mdash; T. Ryan Gregory 🇨🇦 (@TRyanGregory) December 5, 2025 ]]>While most of the symptoms of this new variant remains same as from the other variants, one thing that stands out here is the gastrointestinal symptoms that cicada could cause. However, experts note that this variant will not make anyone more sicker. Other symptoms include:CoughFever or chillsSore throatCongestionShortness of breathLoss of smell or tasteFatigueHeadache

unique symptoms of 'cicada' the highly mutated new covid variant of 2026

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Unique Symptoms Of 'Cicada' The Highly Mutated New COVID Variant Of 2026

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