Health officials are closely monitoring a highly mutated new COVID-19 variant, BA.3.2, which has officially reached the United States.
Nicknamed “Cicada” because it seemingly “lurked underground” for months before emerging, the strain was first identified in a traveler at San Francisco International Airport.
Since then it has been detected in wastewater samples across 25 states signaling a quiet but steady spread.
What makes BA.3.2 unique is its massive genetic shift. It contains 70 to 75 mutations in its spike protein making it “genetically distinct from the JN.1 lineages that have circulated in the United States since January 2024,” according to the CDC.
Experts are particularly concerned about its ability to bypass existing defenses. CDC researchers warned that “BA.3.2 mutation in the spike protein have the potential to reduce protection from a previous infection or vaccination.”
Despite these changes, there is no evidence yet that Cicada causes more severe illness. While laboratory tests show it may be better at “immune escape” it has not yet become the dominant strain.
As one expert noted “It is possible we will see Cicada drive a summer COVID surge but that is by no means certain.”
