Is Cicada COVID in DC, Maryland? What to know about new variant

The CDC reports that the highly mutated BA.3.2 “Cicada” COVID‑19 variant has been detected in wastewater samples in Maryland and Virginia but not yet confirmed in Washington, D.C., and officials say its symptoms are similar to other COVID‑19 strains while urging vaccination, boosters, and indoor masking.

A highly mutated COVID-19 variant — nicknamed Cicada — is spreading across the United States, including in the DMV area, where the BA.3.2 strain is gaining ground.

Virginia and Maryland are among the 25 states the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the new COVID-19 strain has spread, but it's unclear from where in the states the cases have come. The Cicada variant has not been confirmed in Washington DC.

Here's what to know if you live in the DMV area.

How many positive tests of the Cicada variant have there been in the DMV?

Maryland and Virginia are among the 20-plus states where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the new variant was discovered in wastewater samples.

There were six positive samples in Maryland and one in Virginia, according to the CDC, which said a Virginia sample was collected through airplane wastewater at Dulles International Airport.

What are the symptoms of the Cicada COVID-19 variant?

Symptoms of the Cicada variant are similar to other COVID-19 infections and can include runny or stuffy nose, headache, fatigue, sneezing, sore throat, coughing and changes to sense of smell or taste.

It does not appear to be more severe than other variants, according to Dr. Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, who said "severe sore throat" is a common symptom for the strain.

Why is it called the Cicada variant?

The BA.3.2 strain was first detected in South Africa in November 2024 and earned its Cicada nickname by largely remaining undetected — much like the brooding insect that often spends years underground before emerging.

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The variant has since spread to at least 23 countries, accounting for up to 30% of COVID-19 cases in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, according to the CDC.

The first case in a U.S. patient was confirmed in January, and since then, it has been found in 132 wastewater samples in the country.

"It is possible we will see Cicada become the dominant strain in the US, but that is by no means certain," Hopkins told USA Today. "I have heard some concern raised about the possibility that it could drive a US summer surge."

What is the CDC doing against the Cicada variant?

The CDC said in March it was "monitoring the spread of BA.3.2" to understand whether the new variant can get around immunity from past COVID-19 infections or vaccines.

Although it's unclear if current COVID-19 vaccines will be effective against the new strain, the CDC encourages people to prevent the spread of the Cicada variant by getting a COVID-19 vaccination and booster shot and wearing masks indoors in crowded spaces.

A new COVID-19 vaccine currently under development could prevent against the Cicada variant, Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, told PBS.