The new COVID‑19 strain, known as “Cicada,” is spreading and raising concerns. On social media, several people who say they’ve had it are sharing troubling details about the symptoms they experienced.
The strain — officially labeled BA.3.2 — is drawing attention because of the unusually large number of changes in its spike protein, which make it stand out from other variants currently circulating.
“Perhaps more concerning is the variant’s slew of genetic changes in its spike protein, which set it apart from other variants circulating,” Andrew Pekosz, Ph.D., a virologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told TODAY.
Viruses naturally change over time, and COVID‑19 has continued to evolve as it spreads. Most variants today differ only slightly from one another — but experts say BA.3.2 is noticeably different.
Scientists report that the variant was first identified in South Africa in 2024. It remained under the radar for a long period before reemerging.
It has now been detected in more than 20 countries worldwide, and according to the CDC, it is circulating in at least 25 U.S. states.
“Cicada” COVID strain causes concern The nickname “Cicada” comes from the insect known for staying underground for years before suddenly resurfacing — a pattern researchers say mirrors the variant’s behavior.
This strain carries an unusually high number of mutations, with an estimated 70–75 changes in its spike protein. These mutations may make it easier for the virus to spread and potentially help it evade parts of the immune response.
There is some reassuring news: experts believe current COVID‑19 vaccines still offer protection against severe illness, even if the variant spreads more widely.
Reported symptoms include cough, fever or chills, shortness of breath, congestion, sore throat, fatigue, headache, gastrointestinal issues, and loss of smell or taste.
Speaking with The Conversation, Kyle B. Enfield, an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Virginia, explained that the mutations may make the virus harder for the immune system to detect. However, he emphasized that there is no evidence the variant causes more severe disease than others.
“If you feel unwell, stay home — not just to take care of yourself, but to prevent spreading disease,” he said. “Especially given that current vaccines may not be as effective against it, protection remains important.”
People with the “Cicada” variant share their experiences On social media, several individuals who believe they were infected with the new strain have described intense symptoms.
According to Tyla, one Reddit user warned: “Guys really be careful. I had the worst fever for 2 days — it was 104. I couldn’t get out of bed. It is extremely contagious!”
Another wrote: “I’m just now getting over it. Felt like I was dying for three weeks. It sucked.”
A third person said they still suffered badly, though they believe vaccination helped reduce the severity: “Got a vaccine a little over a month ago… About a week of symptoms, with the worst peaking around day 3–4. Brain fog lingered the longest but was slightly better by day 7–8. My doc said I was lucky I didn’t have the flu.”
A fourth added: “I am so tired of everyone pretending COVID is no big deal anymore, and not mentioning long COVID.”
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