India, March 27 -- A new COVID-19 variant, BA.3.2 called "cicada" is drawing attention as it spreads across the US and several other countries, even as overall case numbers remain low.

What makes this variant notable is not a sudden surge in hospitalisations or severe illness, but the way it has quietly evolved. First identified in November 2024 in South Africa, BA.3.2 did not immediately dominate headlines. Instead, it circulated in the background for months before beginning to gain ground globally late last year.

By February, the variant had already been detected in at least 25 states in the US, a report by Today.com said, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The variant has reportedly also spread to more than ...