‘Cicada’ COVID is spreading & may be more contagious. Latest info for NC

A new COVID-19 variant is on the rise across the country, named for the cicada, an insect that goes underground for long periods.

Like the insect, the Cicada COVID-19 variant has shown a pattern of disappearing and reappearing months later. It was first identified in 2024, detected in someone travelling to the United States in 2025. It is formally referred to as the BA.3.2 variant.

The variant has not been detected in North Carolina wastewater samples as of Wednesday, April 15, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. It has been found in 25 states as of Thursday, March 19, including South Carolina, according to the CDC. Samples have also been found in several international airports.

Here’s what you should know.

Cicada COVID symptoms

Cicada is in the Omicron lineage, and NCDHHS said it causes similar symptoms to other COVID-19 strains. The Omicron variant first popped up in 2021 with 32 mutations to the virus and began replacing prior strains — Cicada has around 70 mutations compared to the variants used in the 2025-26 vaccines, the CDC says.

The Cicada variant has the potential to reduce protection from a vaccine or previous infection because of the number of mutations. These mutations could make it more contagious, but NCDHHS said vaccination should still protect against the variant.

“This variant, like others, does not lead to COVID-19 symptoms being much different or more severe disease. These variants are evolving to become more transmittable and evade our immune systems defenses,” Dr. David Wohl, an infectious diseases expert with UNC Health, said in a statement through spokesperson Alan Wolf.

Possible COVID-19 symptoms according to the CDC include:

• Fever or chills
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• New loss of taste or smell
• Fatigue
• Muscle or body aches
• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting

I think I have the Cicada variant. Now what?

As with other COVID-19 variants, the only way to know is to test.

Neither over-the-counter testing nor PCR testing will specify which variant someone has, only whether or not they have an active COVID-19 infection. Scientists use other forms of surveillance, like waste water testing, to monitor variants. North Carolina no longer tracks variants in patient specimens, according to NCDHHS.

Wohl said variant surveillance is not what it once was — there has been a reduction in wastewater testing. Doctors do not know what variant patients have in the clinic or hospital, as the variant doesn’t change the care needed.

But the Cicada variant spreads like other variants, and it can be treated similarly:

• Stay home to avoid spreading the virus to others.
• Wear a mask if it becomes necessary to be around people.
• Manage symptoms with rest and over-the-counter medications. Contact a medical professional if symptoms worsen or do not improve.

Vaccines and boosters are still recommended to mitigate risk of infection and severity of infection.

Eva Flowe

The Charlotte Observer

Eva Flowe is a North Carolina native and a graduate of the University of South Carolina. She joined the Charlotte Observer as part of the NC service journalism team in April 2026.