New ‘cicada’ COVID variant detected in more than 20 states, CDC warns

ATLANTA — At least 25 states have confirmed cases of a new COVID variant, with experts saying the mutation poses risks to people who were previously infected or vaccinated.

The BA.3.2 variant was nicknamed “cicada” because it has largely remained undetected, or underground, since it was first discovered in June 2025, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases Medical Director Robert Hopkins Jr. previously told USA TODAY.

The variant has a mutation that allows it to avoid antibodies in people who were either vaccinated or previously infected with a different variant, leading experts to warn that the cicada variant can likely evade immunity and is highly transmissible, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC has analyzed nasal swabs, clinical samples and wastewater surveillance samples. As of Feb. 11, cases have been identified in 25 states, including the following:

• California
• Connecticut
• Florida
• Hawaii
• Idaho
• Illinois
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Michigan
• Maryland
• Massachusetts
• Missouri
• New Hampshire
• New Jersey
• Nevada
• New York
• Ohio
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Texas
• Utah
• Vermont
• Virginia
• Wyoming

COVID remains a serious public health concern among experts, as the virus causes at least 390,00 hospitalizations and at least 45,000 deaths in the U.S. during the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season, the CDC said. New mutations like cicada will likely further boost those numbers.

“New SARS-CoV-2 variants with substantial capacity to evade immunity from previous infections or vaccines could be associated with seasonal increases in COVID-19 activity,” the CDC’s report said. “Robust surveillance data will continue to guide CDC’s preparedness, ensure timely responses to emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, and guide decision-making on COVID-19 vaccine composition updates.”