India, March 27 -- A new COVID-19 variant dubbed "Cicada" is drawing attention as cases begin to surface across multiple countries.

Officially known as BA.3.2, the strain is being closely tracked by agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) due to its unusually high number of mutations and potential to spread further.

"Cicada" is the nickname for the BA.3.2 lineage of the virus that causes COVID-19. According to a CDC report, the variant has been under observation after a steady increase in detections across the US.

Experts say the nickname is because of how the variant remained largely "underground" for months before re-emerging, similar to cicada insects that stay ...