(TNND) \u2014 A new COVID variant has been detected in at least 25 states, with experts confirming the mutation was first identified in the United States in June 2025.<\/p>\n
The BA 3.2 variant, nicknamed \u201ccicada,\u201d was first detected in South Africa in November 2024, and infections in the U.S. began increasing in September 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC).<\/p>\n The variant was found in nasal swabs from four travelers, three airplane wastewater samples, clinical samples from five patients, and 132 wastewater samples across 25 states.<\/p>\n According to the CDC, the mutation may help the virus evade antibodies from prior infections or vaccinations and appears to be highly transmissible.<\/p>\n The states where the variant has been detected include:<\/p>\n CaliforniaConnecticutFloridaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisLouisianaMaineMichiganMarylandMassachusettsMissouriNew HampshireNew JerseyNevadaNew YorkOhioPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWyoming<\/p>\n \u201cNew 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,\u201d the CDC said in its report. \u201cRobust surveillance data will continue to guide CDC\u2019s preparedness, ensure timely responses to emerging variants, and inform decisions on vaccine updates.\u201d<\/p>\n BA 3.2 was nicknamed \u201ccicada\u201d because it largely remained undetected, or \u201cunderground,\u201d after its initial discovery, Dr. Robert H. Hopkins Jr., medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, told USA TODAY<\/a>.<\/p>\n