New COVID variant: What is Cicada Virus? Symptoms, treatment - A complete guide for Indians
What sets the cicada variant apart is not the severity of illness it causes, but its ability to spread and sidestep existing defences
- Apr 4, 2026,
- Updated Apr 4, 2026 7:30 AM IST
A COVID variant that went dormant after its initial appearance is making a comeback, and this time it has spread to 25 states in the United States.
Health officials are raising fresh concerns about BA.3.2, nicknamed "cicada," which belongs to the Omicron family and carries between 65 and 70 mutations. First detected in June 2025, according to Cleveland Clinic pulmonologist Dr Joseph Khabbaza, the variant is now re-emerging across the United States and in several other countries.
Why this variant is drawing attention
What sets the cicada variant apart is not the severity of illness it causes, but its ability to spread and sidestep existing defences. A recent CDC report warned that the strain may transmit more easily than previous variants and could evade immunity in people who have been previously infected or vaccinated, owing to a mutation that allows it to bypass antibodies.
According to doctors and experts, despite the variant's spread, there has been no corresponding surge in hospitalisations or serious illness. Compared to a typical flu season, the new strain appears milder. However, the experts have flagged one area of concern: some early data suggest children may be getting infected at a slightly higher rate with this particular variant.
Symptoms to watch for the Cicada virus
According to health experts at Stony Brook Medicine, the cicada variant does not produce any new or unusual symptoms compared to earlier COVID strains. The primary risk lies in its transmissibility and ability to work around existing protections, rather than in causing a more severe form of illness.
Standard COVID symptoms remain the benchmark:
- 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
- diarrhoea
How to protect yourself from the Cicada virus?
Experts are just requesting people to return to the basics: hygiene, awareness, and staying current on vaccinations, particularly for those at higher risk.
Practical precautions include washing hands regularly, following cough etiquette, ensuring good ventilation, avoiding crowded spaces, and isolating when unwell, especially around vulnerable or immunocompromised individuals.
A COVID variant that went dormant after its initial appearance is making a comeback, and this time it has spread to 25 states in the United States.
Health officials are raising fresh concerns about BA.3.2, nicknamed "cicada," which belongs to the Omicron family and carries between 65 and 70 mutations. First detected in June 2025, according to Cleveland Clinic pulmonologist Dr Joseph Khabbaza, the variant is now re-emerging across the United States and in several other countries.
Why this variant is drawing attention
What sets the cicada variant apart is not the severity of illness it causes, but its ability to spread and sidestep existing defences. A recent CDC report warned that the strain may transmit more easily than previous variants and could evade immunity in people who have been previously infected or vaccinated, owing to a mutation that allows it to bypass antibodies.
According to doctors and experts, despite the variant's spread, there has been no corresponding surge in hospitalisations or serious illness. Compared to a typical flu season, the new strain appears milder. However, the experts have flagged one area of concern: some early data suggest children may be getting infected at a slightly higher rate with this particular variant.
Symptoms to watch for the Cicada virus
According to health experts at Stony Brook Medicine, the cicada variant does not produce any new or unusual symptoms compared to earlier COVID strains. The primary risk lies in its transmissibility and ability to work around existing protections, rather than in causing a more severe form of illness.
Standard COVID symptoms remain the benchmark:
- 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
- diarrhoea
How to protect yourself from the Cicada virus?
Experts are just requesting people to return to the basics: hygiene, awareness, and staying current on vaccinations, particularly for those at higher risk.
Practical precautions include washing hands regularly, following cough etiquette, ensuring good ventilation, avoiding crowded spaces, and isolating when unwell, especially around vulnerable or immunocompromised individuals.