COVID Variant 'Cicada' Confirmed in the Czech Republic: What We Know
A new COVID variant, BA.3.2, nicknamed 'Cicada,' has been confirmed in the Czech Republic. It is characterized by increased resistance to antibodies. Experts reassure that it does not cause more severe illness but recommend caution, especially for high-risk groups.
The National Institute of Public Health has confirmed the presence of a new COVID-19 variant known as BA.3.2, referred to as 'Cicada' among experts and the public. This variant has been appearing in the Czech Republic since the autumn of last year, and its share among positive samples has been gradually increasing in recent weeks.
Why 'Cicada'?
The nickname was given to the variant by Canadian evolutionary biologist T. Ryan Gregory from the University of Guelph. Like the insect of the same name, this variant spent its early years 'underground' — BA.3.2 was first identified in South Africa in November 2024 as a descendant of the BA.3 subvariant from 2022. However, it has only recently begun to spread more significantly.
Record Number of Mutations
What concerns experts most is the extraordinary number of mutations on the virus's spike protein. While scientists recorded 30 to 40 mutations in previously dominant strains, they counted 70 to 75 in the Cicada variant. These changes allow the virus to better evade antibodies acquired through previous infection or vaccination, meaning reduced effectiveness of existing immunity.
Situation in the Czech Republic
According to Helena Jiřincová from the National Reference Laboratory, Czech virologists have been monitoring the BA.3.2 variant since approximately the autumn of 2025. In the last month, its representation among positive samples has been between five and eight percent. However, Cicada is already beginning to prevail within the European Union — Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands are reporting the most cases.
The detection comes at a sensitive time. The Czech Republic is preparing for the Easter tourist season, and approximately a quarter of a million foreign visitors are expected to arrive in Prague, increasing the risk of faster spread of new variants.
Severity and Symptoms
The good news is that, according to current knowledge, the Cicada variant does not cause more severe illness or higher mortality. Virulence appears to be comparable to other currently circulating strains. Symptoms correspond to the typical course of COVID — headache, fatigue, cough, and sore throat.
Existing vaccines should continue to protect primarily against severe illness and hospitalization, although effectiveness against infection itself may be reduced.
Expert Recommendations
Experts emphasize that there is no reason to panic. The situation is under control, and intensive monitoring is underway. Nevertheless, they recommend increased caution, especially for high-risk groups — seniors, people with weakened immunity, and those with chronic illnesses. For them, it may be appropriate to consider revaccination with an updated vaccine.
'We are monitoring developments very closely. Cicada is more contagious and better at evading immunity, but we have not yet seen any signals that it causes more severe disease,' Czech virologists state.
In the context of the upcoming Easter holidays and increased movement of people, experts remind the public of basic preventive measures — hand hygiene, ventilation of enclosed spaces, and consideration of wearing a respirator in crowded places, especially for vulnerable individuals.
