New COVID Variant “Cicada” (BA.3.2) may be affecting children the most, experts say

A COVID-19 subvariant known as BA.3.2, commonly referred to as “Cicada,” is once again drawing attention from global health researchers. The strain was initially identified affecting people in South Africa in late 2024 and later resurged in other countries after being temporarily overtaken by competing variants.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the variant has a pattern of declining and returning activity which is similar to cicadas in nature, that influenced its informal term. Although it is not currently responsible for the majority of new infections in the United States, reports indicate it has contributed to around 30% of COVID cases in parts of Europe in recent months.

Global spread and detection

Health surveillance data suggest that BA.3.2 has been found in at least 23 countries and discovered in wastewater monitoring in 25 U.S. states. The CDC has been tracking its spread as part of ongoing variant monitoring attempts, though it has not yet classified it as a major strain in the U.S.

Symptoms reported so far

Current observations suggest that symptoms of BA.3.2 are widely similar to previous Omicron-related variants.

Most common symptoms:

• Cough
  
• Fatigue or low energy
  
• Fever
  
• Body aches
  

Other possible symptoms:

• Sore throat
  
• Runny nose or nasal congestion
  
• Headache
  
• Shortness of breath
  
• Nausea or reduced appetite
  
• Brain fog or difficulty concentrating
  

Why scientists are watching closely

One area of interest is how the variant appears to impact younger populations. Dr. Tulio de Oliveira, who leads the Center for Epidemic Response and Innovation (affiliated with Stellenbosch University), cited emerging patterns in transmission:

“One thing that we found is that the BA.3.2 seems to infect children – not infants but children between 3 and 15 years old – quite efficiently, which we do not know why yet,” stated Dr. Tulio de Oliveira. (Source: CNN)

Early data analysis also indicates that children may be significantly more likely to contract this variant compared to others, although it is still a minority of circulating strains in several regions.

What researchers are observing in the U.S.

Independent analysis of New York City data suggest that children may be up to five times more likely to be affected by BA.3.2 compared with other variants.(Source: CNN).

However, scientists highlight that the variant is still not dominant overall in spreading.

FAQs:

Q1. What is the BA.3.2 variant?
BA.3.2 is a COVID-19 subvariant under global observation. It has been detected in multiple countries.

Q2. Why is it called “Cicada”?
It is nicknamed “Cicada” because it appears to disappear and then re-emerge later. This pattern resembles cicada insects.