Covid 19 cicada variant UK: What are the symptoms and why are experts concerned about latest mutations?

While most of us think the days - and the fear - of Covid 19 are behind us, a new variant is being monitored as it looks set to become the dominant strain around the world. Dubbed the 'Cicada' variant by some, public health experts are watching the BA.3.2 strain of SARS-CoV-2 as it spreads - carrying a high number of mutations that could help it slip past existing immunity.

It was first identified in South Africa in November 2024 and has now been detected in at least 23 countries, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Cicada variant has now been confirmed in the United Kingdom but is not yet the dominant strain here, with variants like XFG and ‘Nimbus’ currently more common, however, the UK Health Security Agency is monitoring the spread of the strain.

Undetected for years, the strain has emerged in large numbers - like the cicada insect - and is known for being “highly genetically divergent” with other Covid strains. Cicada boasts around 70 to 75 mutations in the spike protein - the part of the virus that allows it to bind to human cells - compared to around 30 in previous variants such as JN.1 and LP.8.1.

And the high number of variations has alarmed experts, who fear it will mean the virus can avoid immunity among the population through vaccination or prior infection. The fear is heightened as the variations are prevalent in key parts of the virus' spike protein — meaning it will infect more easily.

Brandon Dionne, an associate clinical professor of pharmacy and health systems sciences at Northeastern University, told Northeastern Global News: "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."

Covid 19 cicada variant symptoms

Symptoms of the infection mirror many of those in previous Covid strains - including sore throat, cough, congestion, fatigue, headache and fever - with some also experiencing nausea or diarrhoea, the CDC said.

While vaccinations are still being administered around the world, their formulation is designed to target variants from the Omicron lineage, particularly JN.1 and its descendants, which have been prevalent in recent months.

But after it was discovered in 2024 until February this year, experts have noted the emergence of the Cicada variant, which has been identified in 132 monitoring sites, in at least 25 states, through US wastewater surveillance, tracking pathogens in sewage, industrial discharge and storm water systems. It has also been detected through voluntary nasal swab samples collected from international travellers at US airports.

However, experts are confident the evidence does not predict more severe disease or higher mortality from the Cicada variant, as well as a hope current vaccines may offer at least some protection.

Neil Maniar, director of the master of public health program at Northeastern University, warned the variant could pose added risks to vulnerable populations, and added: “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.”

People are being encouraged to be strict with basic sanitary measures, including frequent handwashing, staying at home if ill, masking in higher risk settings and avoiding close contact with vulnerable individuals. Maniar added: "We know that outbreaks can happen very quickly, especially as we move into warmer months and higher travel seasons."

However, Dionne warned against any cause for panic, saying the Covid virus has appeared to settle into a more seasonal pattern, with infections typically rising in the late autumn and winter months, managed with vaccines, despite causing “substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide”.

In the US, for example, Covid-19 is still linked to around 300 to 500 deaths a week according to recent data and estimates from the CDC, though far fewer cases are formally reported now than earlier in the pandemic due to reduced testing.

But the experts said they would be monitoring variants like the Cicada, as they could indicate further mutations that cause more severe effects - and spread. "It’s something we definitely want to monitor,” Dionne said. “It could, over time, become the dominant strain in the US, but it’s not yet there.”