The COVID variant BA.3.2, referred to as Cicada, is causing a significant increase in cases in the United States and globally. As of March 2026, the variant has been detected in at least 25 states and is responsible for approximately 30% of COVID-19 sequences in Germany and some Northern European countries.
First identified in June 2025 in a traveler arriving at San Francisco International Airport, the first U.S. case was diagnosed in January 2026. BA.3.2 is characterized as ‘highly mutated,’ possessing between 70 and 75 mutations, which raises concerns regarding its transmissibility and potential to evade immunity.
As of mid-March 2026, BA.3.2 has been detected in 3.7% of wastewater samples across the U.S., indicating its spread within communities. The World Health Organization classified this variant as a ‘variant under monitoring’ in December 2025, highlighting the need for ongoing surveillance.
Health experts, including the CDC, emphasize the importance of monitoring BA.3.2 to understand its potential impact on public health. “Monitoring the spread of BA.3.2 provides valuable information about the potential for this new SARS-CoV-2 lineage to evade immunity from a previous infection or vaccination,” a CDC representative stated.
Despite the alarming number of mutations, some experts suggest that the variant has not yet led to significant increases in severe disease. Dr. Andrew Pekosz noted, “It looks scary on paper, but it hasn’t really made a big impact in terms of disease in most places yet.” However, he also affirmed that vaccination remains crucial in limiting cases.
Dr. Robert H. Hopkins, Jr. warned that low vaccination rates and insufficient public health efforts could leave communities vulnerable to the variant’s spread. Current COVID vaccines are expected to continue providing protection against severe disease from BA.3.2, but the effectiveness against mild infections is still being evaluated.
As of now, the potential for BA.3.2 to cause a surge in the U.S. remains unclear. Details remain unconfirmed regarding how this variant will evolve and its overall impact on the ongoing pandemic.
