A new strain of Covid-19 is doing the rounds, and slipping past everyone’s immunity, experts have warned.
The ‘Cicada’ variant is quietly spreading across the globe, carrying an unusually high number of mutations which is helping it slip past the defences everyone has built up over the past five years, according to public health.
The strain of SARS-CoV-2, called BA.3.2, was first identified in South Africa in November 2024 and has now been detected in at least 23 countries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
It has been called the Cicada variant because it emerged — like the noisy insect — in large numbers after going undetected for years,
Experts have warned it is a “highly genetically divergent,” with roughly 70-75 mutations known so far in the spike protein. This is the part of the virus that allows it to bind to human cells and infect us all.
Experts fear the viral strain could partially evade immunity from prior infection or current vaccines, public health experts say.
“There definitely are quite a few mutations with this one, so there’s concern that the current vaccine is not going to be a great match,” said Brandon Dionne, an associate clinical professor of pharmacy and health systems sciences at Northeastern University.
It was first found 15 months ago and is now spreading around.
What are the symptoms of the Cicada Covid variant?
Symptoms seem to appear similar to other recent variants, and include a sore throat, cough, congestion, fatigue, headache and fever.
But this one also has had some people also experiencing gastrointestinal issues such as nausea or diarrhea, according to the CDC.
Should we be worried?
Experts say people should be more wary that Covid is on the rise again, especially for vulnerable people.
They say it is not more severe, but could spread quicker.
Neil Maniar, director of the master of public health program at Northeastern University, told North East Global News: “The biggest focus is really on protecting higher risk individuals and continuing standard precautions.
“At this point, COVID is something that’s part of our day-to-day lives, similar to the flu and other respiratory illnesses.”
That includes basic measures, such as frequent handwashing, staying home when sick, masking in higher risk settings and avoiding close contact with vulnerable individuals, he added.
