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A new COVID variant, nicknamed “cicada,” is spreading through at least half the nation, prompting warnings from health officials.
The BA. 3.2 variant has been detected in 25 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The “cicada” variant, which is part of the Omicron family and carries between 70 and 65 mutations, was first detected in June 2025, according to Cleveland Clinic Pulmonologist Dr. Joseph Khabbaza.
The variant went dormant and is now re-emerging across the U.S. and in other countries.
Experts warned that the virus could spread more easily than previous variants and even evade immunity in people previously infected or vaccinated against COVID, due to a mutation that allows it to avoid antibodies, according to a recent CDC report.
Khabbaza said that although the variant is spreading, there hasn’t been a surge in hospitalizations or severity in illness. He noted that some data suggests kids might be getting infected a bit more with this particular variant.
Despite the spread of the variant, the pulmonologist said that in comparison to flu season, the new strain seems milder.
How to protect yourself from the ‘cicada’ COVID variant
Khabbaza urged Americans to keep up good hygiene amid the latest spread of the “cicada” variant.
“if you’re at higher risk for illness, really important, important for all of us to stay on top of our vaccinations, but especially if we’re at higher risk of getting sicker,” Khabbaza said. “So older age and other medical conditions like heart disease, lung disease, diabetes.”
This includes, washing hands, cough etiquettes, ventilation, avoiding close crowds and, if you’re sick, removing yourself from people, especially those who are vulnerable or immunocompromised.
“No matter what’s going on, no matter how bad or mild the strain is, know how to protect yourself, know who’s vulnerable around you, know your own risk factors for severe illness, and try to make decisions to minimize the odds of getting sicker,” he said.
What are ‘cicada’ COVID symptoms?
The new “cicada” variant doesn’t cause any new or unusual symptoms compared with other COVID variants, according to health experts at Stony Brook Medicine. The main danger from the new strain of the virus is its ability to spread, and circumvent existing protections.
COVID-19 symptoms include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- New loss of taste or smell
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea