Cicada COVID found at JFK airport; what to know about variant in NYC

A new COVID variant — dubbed Cicada — has been detected in New York.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that the variant, formally known as BA.3.2, is a "new lineage" of SARS-CoV-2.

Cicada COVID has seen an uptick in detection, according to a March 19 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) by the agency, and has been found in at least 25 states so far.

First detected in U.S. in June 2025 from someone traveling into the country, the highly-mutated variant got its name from remaining "underground" since its discovery, Dr. Robert H. Hopkins, Jr., medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, told USA Today recently. Cicada insects are known to live most of their lives underground.

"It is possible we will see Cicada become the dominant strain in the US, but that is by no means certain," Hopkins said.

 "I have heard some concern raised about the possibility that it could drive a US summer surge."

Here's where the variant was detected in the city, and what symptoms it carries.

Is Cicada COVID in New York City?

The Cicada variant of COVID "was detected in nasal swabs from four travelers, three airplane wastewater samples, clinical samples from five patients, and 132 wastewater samples from 25 U.S. states," the CDC said.

Some of those cases were in New York City, where the CDC's Traveler-based Genomic Surveillance Program found the variant in respiratory samples earlier this year. It was also found in respiratory samples at San Francisco International Airport.

Cicada was also discovered in wastewater samples from San Francisco's airport and Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

Other places flagged with detection included neighboring states New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

In total, Cicada has been detected in 23 countries.

Cicada COVID symptoms

Some of the symptoms Cicada may bring include headaches, fatigue and sore throat.

Other signs include:

• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sneezing
• Cough
• Changes to smell and taste senses