A newly designated Covid-19 variant, BA.3.2, nicknamed “Cicada,” is rapidly spreading with presence in 23 countries in February, according to a weekly assessment by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Scientists say BA.3.2 is an Omicron descendant first identified in November 2024 in South Africa. It began circulating more widely in September 2025 and has since been identified in at least 23 countries, with detections increasing in September 2025, according to The Independent.
30% of cases in Northern Europe
In Northern Europe, the variant grew more prevalent over the winter, with around 30% of cases in Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands linked to “Cicada,” according to a PBS report.
The strain carries roughly 70 to 75 genetic changes in the spike protein compared with currently predominant SARS‑CoV‑2 lineages, differences that may blunt how well the immune system recognizes the virus following vaccination.
While those changes appear to help the virus spread, there is no sign so far that BA.3.2 is more dangerous or causes more severe disease than the variants circulating in the winter of 2025–26.
The nickname “Cicada” reflects how the variant seemed to reemerge after a long lull, drawing a comparison to the insects that surface after years underground.
Vaccine performance remains a central question.
Current Covid-19 shots for the 2025–2026 season were designed to protect against the predominant US variants; however, laboratory studies indicate the newly emerged BA.3.2 efficiently evades antibodies, likely due to spike-protein mutations, the CDC said in its weekly report. This could allow wider spread even without a rise in severity.
Health experts reiterate that even if the virus partially bypasses vaccine-induced protection, outcomes are still expected to be better than for the unvaccinated.
Recent years have seen lower rates of severe outcomes due to widespread infection- and vaccine-derived immunity, though the burden remains substantial: an estimated 390,000–550,000 hospitalizations and 45,000–64,000 deaths occurred in the US during the 2024–25 respiratory virus season, the CDC said in its weekly report.